


Dollhouse

by Bitterpotato00



Category: Pocket Monsters SPECIAL | Pokemon Adventures, Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Abuse, Friendship, Kidnapping, M/M, Murder, NSFW, NSFW in the future, Obsession, Possessive Behavior, Preciousmetalshipping, Recovery, childhood fantasies, possessive character, tw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-06-13
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:47:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 19
Words: 24,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22474345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bitterpotato00/pseuds/Bitterpotato00
Summary: It was a stupid idea, Silver repeated to himself. That didn’t mean he didn’t find himself constantly thinking about it.In which Silver falls in love with his best friend and doesn’t handle it well.
Relationships: Gold/Silver (Pokemon), Hibiki | Ethan | Gold/Silver
Comments: 24
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pichipichu](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pichipichu/gifts).



> The boys are both eleven in this chapter.

There was something about Gold that strongly endeared him. It might not have been his loud, obnoxious voice or his boisterous attitude, but even from the beginning, even when he was hard pressed to get rid of him, there was something underlying that pulled him back towards the annoyance. Silver felt the pull and waved it off, rationalizing it as a brief sort of weakness. It wasn’t a big deal. He’d lose those feelings. He had to. 

He didn’t. 

It was the opposite, because the pull seemed to strengthen with every solitary time that Silver came into contact with Gold. It even got to the point that he’d start thinking about him on his missions or while searching for an easy target to rob. When Gold grabbed his hand or slapped him on the shoulder or even punched him in the fucking face, Silver would internalize his touch, soaking in the warmth of his hand and attempting to hold onto it for as long as possible. Still, he rationalized it all. Raised in captivity and trained to be desensitized, it was only normal that the trivial contact of Gold’s affected him more than it should’ve, in different circumstances. It was harder to justify how the other boy’s simple eye contact had that same warm effect on him. What was so different about Gold looking at him, and why did he feel irritated when his focus was on somebody else?

Months passed. Feelings grew. Somewhere along the line Silver gave up trying to explain why Gold seemed to get under his skin- it just became fact. It was easier to indulge that way, and indulge he did. 

Silver thought of him in his spare time. He wondered what Gold was doing then or if, possibly, he was thinking about him too. He allowed himself to imagine those arms and hands wrapped around his back, squeezing him, holding him tightly, showing him how it felt to be cared for. He had that sort of intimacy with Blue, but the pull was strong and insistent. Silver never felt the need to crave more before, so the feeling hit him hard and continued to chip away at him. 

It was a perfect storm of a situation: Pryce was defeated, Gold was bloodied yet alive, and the first thing he did upon his return was save him from being arrested. Silver was on cloud nine until Gold turned his attention away from him and towards Blue- specifically, towards Blue’s behind. 

His vision went red. 

It wasn’t that the idiot had objectified his sister, as much as Silver tried to believe it. No, it wasn’t about Blue at all, but Gold himself; why couldn’t he just focus on Silver? Why did he constantly have to throw himself into dangerous situations? Why did Silver care, anyway?

He questioned himself with each punch he rained on Gold’s body, flinching with pain as he did the same to him. Then, the focus on him was gone again, and put on Red. The two soon raced off to train, leaving Silver behind and alone once more. 

It finally occurred to him when he returned to his secret base. Silver finally found a comparison for the boy he constantly thought about. Gold reminded him of a doll he and Blue had gazed at years ago, behind a store window. She’d debated on whether to steal it or not, but, because they were low on supplies and had to survive on as little as possible, she decided to let it go. Plus, she’d added, those types of dolls weren’t to be played with anyway, but displayed for people to look at. 

He hadn’t understood at first, but now it all made sense. The doll was precious. The doll was delicate. The doll had to be protected and cared for. It wouldn’t be acceptable for people to play with it, or for it to be passed from one unworthy hand to another in favor of momentary admiration. No, the doll had to have an owner, and the owner had to take care of the doll by keeping it in the box on top of the shelf, away from the others. There, it could be looked at all day long. Looked at, but never touched, never dirtied. And never held by any hand other than the hand that it belonged to. 

Dolls as precious as those weren’t meant to be nearly lost in time, or go up against such icy danger. Gold was a battered doll, then, Silver guessed. He was a weathered toy that was still able to fulfill its purpose and dazzle all it came into contact with. 

He’d never had toys because he’d never had a normal childhood, but from what Blue had described, if dolls weren’t kept confined in boxes, then they were usually placed in pretty little dollhouses. That made sense- he knew how suffocating and boring little boxy rooms could be. A whole house to himself would leave him contented. He scanned his secret base and found it to be roomy enough. It could be an adequate dollhouse. 

He thought that Gold would like living in it. 

At first he thought it was a stupid idea, a childish little fantasy of locking his friend away in a controlled place where he’d be safe, and where Silver could always find him- find his eyes and his touch and his focus. Then he wouldn’t have to share Gold. There wouldn’t be any sharing whatsoever, and no infuriating distractions to take his attention away from Silver. He’d like that. Stupid, sure, but it was comforting as well. He tried not to think about what Gold was doing at such a treacherous location as Mt. Silver, or how all his attention would be with Red. What if something came along and hurt him? What if Gold forgot about him in general, and made Red his friend instead of him?

It was a stupid idea, Silver repeated to himself. That didn’t mean he didn’t find himself constantly thinking about it. 

That night he laid on the softest part of his secret base, with Sneasel faithfully perched next to him. His mind was filled with phantom touches and illuminated with intricately painted dollhouses.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The boys are fourteen in this chapter, set right after the Emerald arc.

The more time passed, the more strongly Silver felt the pull. No longer was it regarded with annoyance and exasperation; instead, Silver welcomed it with open arms and indulged in it. He came to love the way his companion made his heart pound in his chest and his lips quirk into small smiles, and came to love how Gold’s presence distracted him from the constant turmoil of his life. 

Thinking of him filled the void in Silver’s heart that was previously left cold and vacant. Unfortunately, it only cried out for more. 

He was used to living on the bare minimum. He ate what little there was to eat and did what he had to do to survive, so this constant craving of the other boy perplexed him and contradicted his very existence. Silver tried to scold himself. He tried to shame the pull away, dictating that he wasn’t worthy of the good things that the world had to offer, Gold included, and to just get used to life in the dark. It didn’t work. How could he have expected it to work? He practically had everything he wanted right in front of him: he had access to Gold’s house whenever he felt like coming by, he had his trust in telling Silver his dreams and fears and everything in between, and he even had physical contact in the forms of shoulder rubs and hugs. 

He pretty much already had Gold all to himself. His time as a petrified statue only cemented that. 

When he and the Kanto Dexholders were trapped in stone, and Gold came to see them, he went right up to his frozen form. Gold gripped his hand in his own and promised to save him, and that was all the confirmation Silver needed to feel content. It was deeper than knowing he’d be freed soon. Out of everyone, Gold went to him, talked to him, touched him. Perhaps he felt for Silver in the very way that Silver felt for him. With that contact, Giovanni and Sird and Team Rocket all slipped away, leaving only the notion that Gold felt the pull too- a notion that Silver took as fact. 

So after Gold made good on the promise proposed over their joined hands, Silver tried to act as if nothing had changed. 

But everything had changed. The pull became a tug, and the willing prize was just in his grasp. 

Silver revisited his old fantasies full of confined dolls kept safe and sound from a dark, nasty world. At fourteen, he knew just how terrible that world could be; he cringed at the pet names Sird piled onto him: “Prince of Darkness”, “Boss”, “Giovanni’s son”. They cut like rusty knives into his flesh, resistant as he was, where they left jagged scars invisible yet excruciating across his skin. He could handle it- but when he looked to Gold, his heart sank. 

Gold wasn’t like him. He didn’t deserve what the world inevitably had in store for him. When Silver looked him over, subtly memorizing every detail for later revelries, he wondered what cruel names would be pinned on him, and how he would react to them. Somehow that hurt more than his own revelations. He wanted to brush the names from off his back and shield him from them- or better yet, prevent them from reaching Gold in the first place.

The world shouldn’t be able to reach him. That’s what Silver thought. It didn’t deserve to even see him. Gold was too good and too fragile to be shoved into the ground like Silver had been, over and over again. If he wanted contact with the world then Silver would tell him all about it, the two of them tucked away in a place out of its view. And if there were to be names etched into Gold’s skin, they would be names of affection and adoration scrawled in Silver’s own sloppy handwriting. 

Before long all the confusing thoughts and physical cravings manifested themselves into Silver’s dreams. He woke up one morning panting and sweating, his entire form trembling from the unfamiliar pleasure sweeping through his veins. He knew what- and who- the dream was about, and found himself frustrated; he was just about to tell Gold he loved him. 

It was like a switch had gone off, emphasized with rampant hormones and the anger of keeping his affections hidden. 

While he used to have complete and utter control of his thoughts, as well as the ability to channel out discomfort and pain, this new stage of his life completely muddled him. He wanted to be angry at Gold, angry at the effect he had on his body, angry at how his innocent touch could lead to rounds and rounds of suffocating pleasure up alone in his secret base, angry at how vulnerable he made him. Silver wanted to be ashamed of how he laid on his back at night, with his legs splayed open and his bare fist down his pants. There’d be little groans and gasps at first. Before long, though, he’d lose the last of his control and pump harder, clawing at his body and grasping at whatever skin he could expose, nearly tearing his clothes off with the ferocity of a rabid animal. His thoughts were a cloudy mess of fantasies revolving around Gold, his friend, his precious little doll; he was so precious that Silver wanted to strip away his clothes and feel the smoothness of his porcelain skin, to see and feel what was exclusive to his hungry eyes alone. 

Sometimes Silver deluded himself into believing that he hated Gold, but he knew that wasn’t the truth. It was as stupid an idea as keeping him hostage, except for one terrifying realization: after all was said and done and his body was finally worn out for the time being, Silver’s head was as clear and precise as it had ever been- and his dollhouse fantasy remained as a plausible and realistic plan that he so wanted to execute. 

It was kidnapping, plain and simple. He of all people should’ve been strictly against it in any form, seeing how the lasting effects of it still distorted his daily life. But there were little specks of objections constantly whispering in Silver’s head; he thought about Will and Karen, and Sham and Carl- how both pairs became loyal to the Masked Man and accepted their places in his clutches. Perhaps he was nicer to them than he was to him and Blue, but perhaps that didn’t matter anyway. He was no Masked Man; he was no Pryce. He was Silver, and his intentions were nothing but pure and loving. If he ever acted on his urges, he’d treat Gold right, and give him no choice but to become loyal to him and accept his place-

-if he ever went through with it. No matter what, though, Silver had his companion- in his everyday life, and in his dreams.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys are sixteen in this chapter, which takes place during and after the HGSS arc. TW for rape.

Years ago, he’d been content with not having enough: enough food, enough shelter, enough interactions, to name a few. That was no longer the case. He’d gotten greedy and selfish. He’d gotten overwhelmed with emotions and love and lust. The old Silver would’ve been disgusted with him. 

The new Silver only wanted more of it all- more of him. All of him. 

“Buddy” was no longer enough, nor was “Silv-bro” and “Shithead”, or any other cheeky insults Gold loved to throw at him. But he was smart; he knew what he was doing and how exactly to get under Silver’s skin.

At sixteen, Silver had it all figured out. He knew the game that Gold played and was two steps ahead of his every move. It was only a matter of time before Gold played himself directly into Silver’s hands. Silver dreamed feverishly of that very day. 

So when Gold wrapped his warm arm around his shoulder and called him his best friend, Silver could’ve taken him right there. But, like always, something got in the way. 

That something was Team Rocket. 

Even as he fought the executives, and later Giratina, his mind was fixated on Gold; he was so far away, out of Silver’s sight, fighting the fucking god of creation itself and undoubtedly struggling. Half of him wanted to ditch the mission and get his little doll out of trouble, the two of them fleeing to safety. Could Crys handle everything on her own? No. Would the world end? Probably. But would he die with his everything cradled warmly in his arms? Yes, and Silver probably couldn’t think of a better way to go out. But they were young and still had time to be together, with only the gods and executives in the way, so Silver stayed on target to get the life he so wanted. 

Plus, he reasoned to himself, let Gold have one last taste of danger, so that when he came to get him, he’d be all but begging to leave the terrible world behind. 

When Giovanni offered him a position in Team Rocket, Silver considered it briefly, trying to figure out a way to incorporate any benefits of being in the gang to his plan. Ultimately, though, he knew it wouldn’t work: then Gold would never love or trust him, or even see him as a friend anymore, and that was all the dissuasion he needed. And if Silver still went through with the plan anyhow, he bet that Rocket hideouts wouldn’t make as scenic dollhouses as his secret bases could. He rejected his father and vowed to reverse his wicked ways. As he declared it, Silver could see Gold’s smile and knew that he’d made the right choice. 

Giovanni left with his grunts. Silver was alone again, but he took comfort in the fact that he wouldn’t be alone for long. 

Gold invited him back to his house for the night, and Silver sat half transfixed by the bright colors exploding on the television. “Proteam Omega”, the director had called it. Hopefully there’d be comics for it that he could take back to his base when the two of them were bored. Watching tv was a good disguise for what he was truly doing- searching for that precious spot on the neck that he’d need soon, the spot that, as Pryce taught him, knocked someone unconscious when it was pressed. It took Silver a while to find it (it was a skill he hadn’t used in years) but when he brushed over that spot, he let a slow smile adorn his face. It was quick and easy to pull off. It would keep him quiet and still while Silver got him situated in the base. Most of all, though, it wouldn’t hurt Gold, and that to Silver was the most important thing. 

Warmth bloomed in his chest when Gold wished his mother goodnight, and she in turn kissed him on the head and ruffled his hair. Silver found it cute. Cute and bittersweet, really, since he didn’t know when he or Gold would see her again. His heavy footsteps up the stairs jolted Silver from his revelries and he grinned and stood up, following his unknowing doll to his room. 

He wanted to stare as Gold gripped the hem of his jacket and shirt, but he spoke up instead. 

“Gold.”

He jumped and whirled around. 

“Shit, Silver! You fucking scared me!”

Playing dumb, as usual. Silver could barely hold in his excitement and knew that Gold felt the same. Their pull was stronger than ever. 

“Don’t be a pansy. You knew I was here. Now come on.”

Gold stared at him blankly. 

“It’s midnight, dude.”

“Really?” Silver exclaimed sarcastically, hoping he didn’t sound as giddy as he felt, having his everything so close to him and having his plan so close to completion. “It’s almost like i knew that already! Quit bitching and let’s go.”

Gold grumbled, “Where’re we going?”

“You’ll know when we get there. I have to show you something.”

They climbed out through the window and Honchkrow flew them to the base. Silver snuck glances at Gold and was as enamored as ever. 

“Here.”

From their landing Silver led him up to the base; when Gold looked incredulous and opened his big mouth to speak, he pointed through the cracks of the base at the moon. 

“Isn’t it beautiful?” 

Silver stalked up behind him. He could see Gold’s calm breaths. It was perfect. It was perfect. He was perfect. He grabbed that firm neck of his, found the spot, and pushed before Gold could even cry out; within ten seconds, Silver’s doll was limp and lifeless, totally helpless in his arms. 

“Finally, Gold,” he murmured, “finally, finally.” The word felt satisfying as it rolled off his tongue so Silver repeated it many times for good measure, not caring the least bit about how unhinged he sounded. He carried him to the inner part of the base before gently laying him on his back. 

The moonlight that streamed in on them accentuated the tattered bloody clothes on Gold’s figure. Silver scowled. The world was away from them then, but his clothes were still stark reminders of it, teasing jabs of the damage it had done to Gold, nasty whispers of the damage that could’ve been done to him, had Silver not saved him. They had to go. Silver flipped open his knife. They had to go, so they went. He made sure of it. 

Afterwards he stared, enamored by his doll’s naked, perfect body. He was right. Pale, porcelain skin only marred with injuries from the day’s battle. Silver would make sure that they’d heal. Gold was fit and well proportioned, his entire body radiating strength and confidence, and if Silver looked closely at his sleeping face, he could see him smile. 

Awe only held off his cravings for so long. 

In what seemed like an instant, lust surged through Silver’s veins. He had him. He finally had him right where he wanted him. That beautiful body was all his to own and enjoy, and he was beyond ready to relish it. 

He crawled over Gold before laying down on him, scrambling out of his jacket and shirt to get as much contact as possible, then wrapped his arms around him. He was so, so hard- his length throbbing and dripping yet restrained in his pants, but Silver couldn’t help but go slow for as long as he could control himself. So he buried his face in Gold’s neck and breathed in his scent. His hands crept up his doll’s sides, noting every toned muscle and crevice they hit, before slinking into Gold’s thick hair and pressing his head into Silver’s shoulder. He slowly rocked side to side, his slate eyes tearily closed. Gold felt just as he’d imagined he felt: warm, firm, and comforting, like coming home after a long day. Silver didn’t know home, but he’d learn; this was their home now. 

He accidentally brushed their fronts together and nearly cried out. It was too much- he’d waited so long for this, for him, he’d done so much research and watched so many dirty videos just to fulfill the burning in his heart. There would be no more waiting. 

And then he was inside him, on top of his chest, feeling his doll’s increasing heartbeat, throbbing against his insides. The heat thrilled him; Silver had never felt anything like it, and mourned not having done this before. His hand was no comparison. Thrusting gently quickly turned into a feral mess of copulation as he finally claimed his prize, leaving bite marks and kisses over every area he could reach, all the more evidence of ownership. Silver threaded his fingers through Gold’s on one limp, willing hand. This is how it would be, forever, with nothing left separating them. 

“All mine, all mine,” Silver uttered like a prayer. 

Upon his release, he only fucked his doll harder. One final act of ownership- the most intimate of all. 

Silver let his hips drop afterwards, utterly exhausted. His length slowly pulled out of Gold before he realized that he’d given no other stimulation to his own member- usually the actors in those dirty videos touched those parts, sucked on them, tugged at them. He considered it, running his hand gently over it, adoring how soft and beautiful it was, and how much love he’d show it and how much pleasure he’d expose it to, before deciding to wait until Gold awakened, so that he’d use that voice of his to encourage Silver. 

He pulled up his boxers and pants before releasing Weavile. Gold was going to panic at first, he just knew it, so precautions had to be taken so that his precious friend didn’t hurt himself, or worse- get away. 

Her fur was soft and chilly under Silver’s bare fingers as he watched Gold’s chest rise and fall with every deep breath he took. Then he stirred. Those stunning yellow eyes of his fluttered open and widened when Gold shot up; he quickly realized that his clothes were gone and wrapped his arms around himself, whipping his head around in an attempt to gauge his surroundings. 

Gold’s eyes met his. 

“Silver?” He stuttered. “Silver, what-“

His eyes trailed to Silver’s bare torso and Gold stilled for a moment. He tried to get up and winced, evidently sore between his legs. 

“What did you do?!”

As soon as Gold sprang up and towards him, Silver gave his command:

“Weavile. Wrists and ankles.”

Ice enveloped them in an instant, binding his wrists and ankles together in icy shackles. Gold fell over with a surprised cry. He thrashed for a few seconds before going still, turning his naked body to face away from Silver. After allowing himself to listen to Gold’s cute pants for a few moments, he walked over to him and kneeled down. As soon as his hand touched his shoulder Gold jerked away, launching himself forward and jolting from Silver’s hand as if it burned him. 

“Don’t you fucking touch me,” he snarled, his voice audibly thick with tears. “Why are you doing this?”

“Don’t try to pretend you don’t know,” Silver replied. It was hard to keep his voice even and ever harder to hide his wide smile. He gripped Gold’s shoulder again and held on as he tried to buck away. “And don’t you dare deny that you’ve wanted this from the very beginning, just like I have.”

“Wanted- wanted you to...” he trailed off and squeezed his eyes shut, but the tears found their way down his cheeks. Gold attempted to lift his shackled hands to wipe them but Silver got there first. 

He smiled and stroked gently beneath Gold’s eyes. 

“Yes. I’ve seen how you look at me, Gold; I know all the little games you try to play. Playtime’s over.”

Silver shifted onto his side, wrapping his arms around his dear friend. He indulged himself by cuddling right up to him and hugging Gold harder when he attempted to writhe out of his hold. His heart was fit to burst. Never before in his entire life had he felt this happy, this content, this warm. It was just the beginning. 

But Gold wasn’t finished. Amid his trembling and choppy breaths, he spoke up again:

“Is this all you see me as Silver? Am I just-“ his whispered tone shook with what he could only identify as misplaced agony, “-am I just a toy to you?”

Silver’s chuckle was quiet. He buried his face into Gold’s stiffened neck and smiled, running a hand lovingly across his bare chest. 

“Sorta,” he said, “I like to think of you as my doll. You’re precious and fragile, undeserving of such a shit world.”

Gold didn’t respond. Silver interpreted his weeping as tears of happiness.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Set after the HGSS arc. The boys are sixteen.

His doll was a slow learner. 

While Silver hadn’t expected him to adapt to his new home quickly, he was still slightly dismayed by Gold’s attitude towards the entire situation- and towards him. 

But Silver dealt with worse things than the silent treatment, even if the silent treatment came from his whole world. He was patiently waiting out Gold’s prolonged tantrum. He withstood his deafening silence and shielded himself from the hurt of him not meeting his adoring gaze, or the frustration of Gold jerking away from his gentle touch. It didn’t matter if Gold misbehaved or cried or pouted because Silver loved him so much; he’d love Gold even if he was unhappy, and he’d adapt to derive his own happiness from rubbing Gold’s back or wiping his tears. He just couldn’t be displeasing. 

Silver showed him his love in many ways. 

Sometimes he’d attempt to make Gold his favorite foods, beaming with pride when his stubborn doll relented and took even one bite. Other times, after Gold was exhausted from his futile thrashing around, Silver would pet his hair, smoothing the wild strands with his fingers and savoring every solitary moment that Gold relaxed his body, voluntarily or not. He’d talk to him about whatever came to mind. 

Most of all, though, Silver showed his love in its most physical form. Ever the player of hard to get, Gold would try to fight him; he’d attempt to crawl away and wail when Silver simply reached over and pulled him back into his arms, he’d wriggle around as Silver shifted him into position, and he’d pant and cry out even as his owner was fully sheathed inside him. Silver didn’t mind. The shackles were still holding up, and if Gold got too rowdy, he’d just gag him or freeze him further. He was determined to make Gold feel his ever-growing attachment to him, every inch of it. He always whispered that Gold was safe with him. The dollhouse on the shelf was now the secret base far away from all the towns. 

When Silver finished and went to work wiping the blood away afterwards, Gold would meet his eyes and open his mouth before seemingly changing his mind. His mouth would shut and he’d avoid Silver’s expectant gaze. If it were him and the Masked Man, he’d be beaten until he said what he had to say (or until he was too bruised to say anything at all) just like Silver was all those years ago, but Silver was different. He was kind. He loved him. 

“Take your time,” he assured Gold. “Talk when you’re ready.”

Because he’d wait. They had all the time in the world. 

When he finally spoke, it was after another round of one-sided lovemaking. They laid on their sides; Silver was drowsy and comfortable with Gold in his embrace, but his doll shivered. Silver let him tremble in the cold because it was his way of coaxing Gold to speak. The night was chilly and the wind blew into the base, rustling the outer leaves and whipping harshly against every piece of their exposed skin. 

There was a particularly strong gust of wind, then Gold’s voice croaked: “Silver.”

“Yes?”

A pause. His doll’s body stiffened for a moment before he seemed to give up and answer. 

“It’s... I’m cold.”

“Are you really.” Silver reluctantly pulled himself away from Gold and stood up. He pulled up his pants and shrugged on his jacket before heading out. Once outside the base, he let his mouth tug into a massive smile, leaned against the nearest tree, and laughed. It was progress. So much progress. Massive progress. 

Gold spoke to him!

He laughed until tears slipped down his face, unbelievably happy with the situation. In the dead of night, Silver slipped through the few people still on the streets to get to another one of his bases- one that had a blanket. It was easy to forget how spoiled Gold was, needing warmth and heat at all times, even when the wind was not harsh and the night not freezing. It was easy to forget that the world hadn’t turned against him yet. That was the probable reason why Gold reacted so strongly against him: he had no idea what was coming to him, had Silver not taken him away, or how hard the world hit when it would get around to hitting him. Sometimes, in the middle of Gold’s fits, Silver doubted his own motivations. He stewed in his doll’s silence and his heart broke bit by bit as Gold remained adamant in rejecting him. But there he walked, grinning maniacally, blanket in hand, totally sure of himself, and so, so deeply in love with his best friend. 

He was near the entrance of the base when he saw him. 

Light glinted off of Gold’s shackles and reflected off of his terrified eyes when he saw Silver approaching. The stupid little toy was crawling his way out of the base, and who knows how far he’d manage to go before Silver found him again. He could have gotten away. He could’ve gotten-

“No! No- you can’t!” His shrill cries broke Silver out of his revelries. He didn’t remember marching up to him and grabbing his hair in his fist, but Gold was struggling, yelping when Silver yanked some hair loose and kicking as he picked him up. Mere feet into the base and he threw him down on the ground. Still fighting, his doll had the sheer audacity to bare his teeth and spit at him, and Silver saw red. Gold was on his stomach, desperately squirming away when he raised his boot and stomped on his back, effectively pinning him to the ground. He ground his heel into his back and Gold howled in pain. 

“Like that, Gold?” He growled, harshly crushing into his bare back. “You should be thanking me, not running. But-“ he lifted slightly before pinning him again, harder, grinning at his cry “-you always have been so fucking slow. Too slow to realize that I’m doing you a favor.”

Even though he was face down on the floor of the base, shackled and pinned, Gold fought back. 

He took a labored breath and snarled back: “A favor? By raping me? By kidnapping me and holding me hostage?”

“I’m protecting you-“

“Sure thing, Masked Man.”

Silver’s blood turned to ice. He was speechless for a moment. Gold was launching a barrage of insults at him but he wasn’t listening anymore. He dropped down and forced Gold onto his back before kneeing him in the gut, keeping his knee in place and holding his face in his hands. He was so, so angry, not knowing exactly what to say or do to express it. He wanted to punch him. Maybe he’d choke him. 

He did neither. Silver just stared. 

Gold’s eyes were yellow even in the darkness. The furious tears that balanced on his lashes made him look even more gorgeous than usual. His mouth was moving, probably spewing more untrue attacks on Silver’s character, but he didn’t hear him. He stroked the soft skin of Gold’s lip with his thumb and felt the anger drain away, rage morphing into powerful adoration for his beautiful, fierce doll. 

“I love you.”

Gold’s face contorted in what looked like disgust. Silver smiled. 

“I love you so much, Gold,” he continued, “you don’t even know what you do to me.”

He threw the blanket aside and pressed their foreheads together, only to be knocked back when Gold head butted him. Everything swelled once more inside him- the anger, the love, and the lust. Gold was wincing in front of him. 

“That hurts, doesn’t it?”

He was going to reply when Silver whipped him around and pressed his face to the ground, holding him by the neck. Within an instant his pants were pooled around his ankles and he was inside him, reveling in how Gold was groaning wildly and attempting to shake him off. 

“Tell me how much it hurts,” he growled in Gold’s ear. 

“I...”

“I’m listening, Gold.” He thrusted harder and Gold screamed. Silver could already feel the blood streaming out from his harsh treatment; he’d clean it up later, if he felt like it. 

“Nng.. I-I...” his chest heaved and he yelled out, “I hate you!”

“You don’t hate me,” Silver laid down on him, pressing him further into the ground. “If you think this hurts, then you know nothing about the world! Gold, you don’t know shit about hurt,” his voice was rising and he thrusted harder. “You think this hurts? This is nothing! Nothing compared to what the world will do to you- what it’s done to me my whole life! You have to understand that I couldn’t let it destroy you like it destroyed me!”

“Silver, please. Please stop- please!”

Silver ignored his pleas. “You’re too good for the world. You’re the only good thing I have in my life, and I couldn’t let it take you away and break you. You understand. Say you understand.”

He only panted, his cheek crushed against the base ground. Silver tightened his grip on Gold’s neck and plunged himself in as deeply as he could. 

“I just... want you to... stop....” his doll’s voice was small and pitiful. 

Gold sounded so vulnerable. His pathetic little mewl only drove Silver more wild as he fucked him hard. Communicating with Gold was no longer the priority; he had to cum. He had his lovely toy right where he wanted him, sore and weak and obviously scared out of his mind. He’d learn soon- he’d learn soon and love Silver back. The sheer thought of that love drove him to climax, and Silver rode it out with harsh pushed then rested on Gold’s back. His fingers found his black hair and combed it absently. 

“You have to understand, Gold, that I’m doing this for your sake. I can’t let you go. Ever.”

The wind blew into the base once more and Gold shivered, his naked body trembling even as Silver gripped him close. He was silent for a while before whispering: “...the blanket...”

Without a word, Silver reached over and pulled the blanket towards them. He shifted Gold to face him, disappointed that he still wouldn’t meet his gaze, and draped it over them both. 

The shackles were digging hard and cold into Silver’s bare skin, but as long as they kept Gold safe and with him, he wouldn’t mind.


	5. Chapter 5

He was starting to miss how Gold’s voice was always audible, always around him. He missed Gold in general. While his doll wasn’t kicking and thrashing as much, and wasn’t biting his fingers or spitting in his face as often, Silver knew that there was no fire in him. There was no fire and, evidently, a dying sense of fight. 

Making love with him was the only time when Gold would vocalize, so Silver made sure to initiate it as much as possible. Sometimes he’d scream loudly as Silver pulled his back against his own chest and began to spread him open. Once he quit screaming, then the cries would start. Pain, perhaps. Silver guessed that sex could be painful to him, so he tried to be as gentle as he possibly could, which was hard with how much he craved him; once he got started, and Gold’s body welcomed him, he lost his mind, absolutely intoxicated with heat and desire. Even at his most gentle, Gold would bleed and cry out with that lovely voice of his. And just when he began to feel a bit guilty for inflicting his doll with such agony, Gold’s vocalizations would change. They became lusty, his voice lowering to a husky, wanting tone as his rapid breaths gave way that, yes, it was possible for him to feel good during intimacy. But he still wouldn’t say anything. His assertions still held no coherent words. 

Until one day they did. 

Silver almost didn’t hear him, being too engrossed in pounding into his lover’s toned body, but thankfully he caught that Gold was panting and stuttering out a phrase. Silver listened, then smiled. 

“Touch me,” Gold had demanded breathily. 

He wrapped his hand around his doll’s prominent erection and began to rub up and down. What started as a soft brush became more deliberate, more harsh as Gold cried out and rutted against him. Soon he was pumping desperately in time with his thrusts, loving how Gold was screaming now- not in pain, but in intense, passionate pleasure. 

He moaned out his owner’s name before milky fluid splattered over his abdomen and onto Silver’s hand. Overjoyed at the turn of events, Silver followed suit soon after. 

It took a minute for Silver to recover and find his voice, but as soon as he did, he questioned him breathlessly: “Feel good?”

Gold only panted. Back to the silent treatment. 

“That’s okay, Gold. This-“ he lifted his dirtied hand, “-says everything I need to know.”

It didn’t matter if Gold continued to ignore him because now he had a way to make him talk; he just had to string him along a little, use each flick of his wrist and stroke of his tongue to stimulate him further, and he’d get the validation he needed- all over his hand. 

Silver was about to clean them up when his doll spoke, his voice hoarse from moments before. 

“When you’re out training during the day, do you ever run into people?”

“Plenty of them.”

Gold shook his head. 

“I mean, people we- I know? Like Crys or Red or the Professor, are they around? Do you see them?”

“Yes, I see them around. Why do you ask?”

Quiet resounded through the base. When Gold didn’t respond, Silver proceeded to clean his hand and the rest of the mess they made. Glancing at Gold’s face, he saw that his everything was debating on whether to answer the question with his own. His mouth was set. Silver dropped his stare and Gold’s voice rang out, meek and unsure. 

“Are they looking for me?”

How adorable; Gold was still holding out hope that somebody would come rescue him. Silver would’ve laughed if those efforts didn’t actually exist. He would’ve laughed if mere weeks ago he didn’t hug Gold’s mother while she wailed for her son to be found. He would’ve laughed if he didn’t watch Crys crumble to her knees with the news of his absence, burying herself in her work in hopes of distracting herself from the grim reality. He would’ve laughed if the Kanto Dexholders hadn’t organized search parties to look for their dear friend. 

Silver would’ve laughed if he didn’t have to fake his grief with Gold’s loss, resigning himself to his secret bases and training to relieve his pain. 

“No,” he said. 

Silver always prided himself in being a good liar. 

Although he was expecting it, his heart still stung when Gold’s face fell. His yellow eyes were brimming with tears when he looked down and away. 

“But... but what about Crys? Isn’t she upset?”

“She’s doing just fine, Gold.” Silver reached for him but he backed away, shackles impeding his motions. 

“And Red?” He demanded, his once-confident voice shaking. 

Silver tried to keep his face neutral. “Happy as ever. Didn’t even ask about you.”

When his fingers brushed Gold’s bare shoulder, he pulled away again, slower. Gold panted as if he’d just run a marathon; his face was flushed and his eyes were full of tears and disbelief at his owner’s words. 

He tried one last time:

“What about mom?” Gold whispered, “She couldn’t have forgotten-“ he trailed off. 

“She did. She’s carrying on as usual- I believe she’s dating a man as well.”

One moment Gold was staring at him. The next he was crying. Then he was bawling, unable to wipe the tears flooding down his red face. His body went limp and he would’ve fallen face down had Silver not caught him. He didn’t even have to coax Gold into his arms because his doll did it himself, huddling in and pressing his face into Silver’s shoulder. In response, he wrapped his arms around him and laid his cheek on Gold’s head. 

Something about the way Gold sobbed, loudly and harshly, brought Silver back to when he was a toddler. Mask newly frozen over his face, he remembered throwing himself onto the icy ground and crying, his little vocal chords straining with how loudly he wailed for someone, anyone, to come and help him. But nobody came, and Silver learned. He learned how to give up on others. 

He learned how to hate the world. 

Gold would learn too. He was already well on his way.


	6. Chapter 6

Months ago, Silver had listened to Crys scolding children at the orphanage she worked at. The kids were playing kickball, and two of them were arguing over which one of them would be chosen to throw the ball to the kicker. They insulted each other while boasting about their own abilities, and in the end, Crys appointed someone different to pitch. 

“There’s no use in tearing someone down in order to make yourself seem more impressive,” she’d stated firmly. 

Silver had silently disagreed then, but now he renounced her little lesson completely because what she’d discouraged was a favorite tool of his to use: tear down the world and build himself up. 

His one-man audience was more vulnerable than ever. He could see the wheels turning in Gold’s head every time Silver relayed the nasty truths of the world to him. It started when he said that all of their friends didn’t care about his disappearance. Then that Gold’s mother was better and happier off without him. Over time, with every shred of negativity that Silver nailed into him, Gold became much more pliant and paranoid, nervously hanging on his owner’s every word. And Silver had a lot to say. 

“The world will never take kindly to you. It will beat you down and destroy you, because that’s what it’s good at doing. That’s what it enjoys. Understand?”

“Yes,” Gold murmured. He was getting better at eye contact, and Silver was so proud of him. 

Normally he’d want his doll to speak to him, but a sign of good progress was that Gold was starting to not ask any questions. When told that Red and Crys and Yellow never trusted him and found him worthless, their names came up less and less before disappearing all together. The same occurred with his mother (“You always held her back”) and his team (“They never respected you in the first place”). But with every attack on Gold’s character, Silver reiterated that he thought of him as lovingly as possible. Where the world was cruel and dangerous and sought to tear him apart, Silver was kind and protective and always wanted what was best for him. Where his friends and mother didn’t care about him, Silver cared all too much- so much that he’d resort to dirty tactics in order to keep him safe and loved. 

Perhaps he was hurting him, but hurt was useful. Hurt was good. Hurt would push him closer to Silver.


	7. Chapter 7

He liked to think that Gold was making progress: he made more eye contact, talked a bit more, and seemed more comfortable in his new home. Silver was sure to encourage these things, rewarding his precious doll with his favorite foods and enthralled praises. His happiness grew when Gold subtly leaned into his kisses. 

But where there was promise, there was pain. Even though it was Silver’s favorite way of showing him his immense love, Gold was vehemently against sex. 

Which was a problem that he was currently dealing with. 

Silver was barely starting to unbuckle his belt when Gold stiffened, his bare body going rigid on the base ground. Those gleaming yellow eyes of his darted from Silver’s face to his crotch before squeezing shut as his breaths picked up, his shoulders heaving, trembling pathetically on the rocky ground. If he was trying to repel his owner, it wasn’t working. If he was trying to appear unattractive, it wasn’t working. To Silver, everything about Gold was cute and lovable- even his fear. So as he stood towering above his form, he made a show out of taking off his belt, basking in his doll’s little whimpers and twitches. Gold flinched when he threw the garment on the ground near his head. He began to refuse as Silver stripped off his jacket and shirt; then he kicked when he prowled towards him, a sweet smile on his face. 

“Silver-“ Gold gasped, “-no!”

“No?” He replied, straddling his love, his red hair falling to the sides of his smirking face. “Why not?”

“Because...”

His hips lowered and brushed against Gold’s drawn up legs. Silver raised an eyebrow at the tears brewing in his doll’s eyes. There was no reason for Gold to cry and act as if Silver’s act of love was repulsive and painful. 

“....because it hurts.” Gold whispered. “You’re supposed to use lube...”

“So I’m expected to stop, huh?” Silver’s eyes narrowed as Gold’s widened. “I’m supposed to deny myself just because you’re hurting? I want what I want, and I want you right now. Put your legs down.”

Gold’s legs remained drawn up. One second passed. Another. With his face tightening in annoyance, Silver repeated his command in a low growl. No response- Gold remained quiet, his teary eyes determined. 

Time for a different approach. 

“C‘mon Gold,” Silver tried in a soft voice. “Be a good little doll for me.” He attempted a kiss and Gold turned his face away. 

“You don’t own me,” he said quietly. His eyes stayed shut. 

“You still don’t fucking understand. You belong to me.” Silver grabbed Gold’s chin and forced him to meet his eyes, and drank in the terror lurking in his amber gaze. “I own you and I can show for it. You don’t believe me? If I don’t wanna feed you, you won’t eat. If I don’t wanna take care of you, you’ll lay around in your own filth like a lame animal. And if I wanna fuck you,” his voice died down to a vicious whisper, “I will, and you have no say whatsoever. Gold, you will die without me. Let me take care of you and love you. I loved you when nobody else ever did, and I will continue to do so. Give up. There’s nothing left for you in the world. This is your world now.” 

He released him and stood up. Gold made no attempt to lift his head or stare from the ground; he didn’t look up when Silver pulled his clothes back on and announced that he was going out to train, but scoffed when Weavile was released to keep an eye on him and prevent him from escaping. 

“What’s the point? It’s not like anyone wants me back. They probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone!”

He was halfway out of the base, but Silver stopped at Gold’s exclamation. Did he hear him correctly? Gold continuously denied his assertions that his family and friends were indifferent to him, and that they were doing better without him around, and this was the first time that he himself said it. Silver’s words were starting to get to him. His vicious opinions were wedging their way into his head. And the further away he drifted from them- from his family, friends, and the outside world- the closer he’d be to the dependent little toy Silver knew he could become. Enthralled with the momentous step his doll took, Silver wanted nothing more than to crush him in a hug and kiss him wherever he could reach, but he only glanced back with a smile. Weavile was staring back at him, a worried expression on her face. He ignored her, his eyes flitting towards the love of his life. 

“No, Gold,” he stated slowly, “they haven’t.”

Gold didn’t reply. 

In the end, Silver got a good amount of training accomplished. It was a productive way to clear his head and make up whatever plan he needed to get through the day; as he trained, though, he heard Gold’s voice clearly:

‘They probably haven’t even noticed I’m gone.’

What a good boy. What a smart little companion, finally coming around to accepting what Silver was telling him. He looked absolutely miserable saying it, but his owner knew that in order to mold him efficiently, he had to break him down. More than that. He had to demolish him. That gorgeous smile would return, and it would show itself for Silver alone. 

He remembered when they were eleven and Gold returned from fighting the Masked Man: how he thought of him as a dirty, broken doll, so unlike what was propped up behind the window before himself and Blue all those years ago. Well, Gold was still that little broken doll, desperately needing to be polished. Blue would understand. She was wrong when she said that Silver couldn’t handle a fragile little toy, but he’d show her. She’d see someday. 

On the way back to the base, Silver bought Gold a present. He knew it would be put to good use. 

He was in the same position as when Silver had left him, his bony cheek pressed against the base floor, his yellow eyes darkened and lidded, studying the ground. He didn’t move when Silver stooped down and kissed him on the head; the only evidence that Gold was even alive was the way his fingers tightened their grip on the blanket in his hands, obviously brought to him by Weavile. Within seconds his knuckles turned white with the effort. 

“It’s been a long day. You must be exhausted.”

Weavile was recalled and his belt was thrown aside. Silver sat next to his best friend and showed him his present:

“This’ll only take a minute, then we’ll go to bed.”

Gold was right about using lube because it benefitted the both of them: he didn’t bleed nearly as much and didn’t cry in pain so hard, and it was easier for Silver to thrust into him. Soon their moans echoed off the cave walls. 

Afterwards, when they were still in position with Silver on top of him and in between Gold’s splayed open legs, Gold immediately fell asleep. Silver fought his drowsiness in favor of combing his fingers through those dark locks of hair, but before long he was drifting off too. 

“I love you,” was the last thing he murmured before falling asleep, and he meant it.


	8. Chapter 8

The world seemed much bigger all of a sudden. 

From where he stood in the freezing cell, huddled against the stony wall, he could practically see the shadows move. Dim moonlight streamed through the barred window and offered Silver no comfort; it’s only use was accentuating the grim shine of the mask on his face. It was hard to breathe. 

He tried to focus only on his harsh breaths, but he could hear them all so clearly. Whispers. They came from all around him. Eerie and far too close for comfort, they spoke incoherently in hushed, prickly tones. Covering his ears did nothing. They only whispered louder, seemingly intent on getting their garbled message across to him. Like chilling wind they brushed past him, slipping easily through his clothes, into his gloves, into his head. His heart beat faster. He shrank against the wall. The room seemed smaller somehow, like it was closing in on him. He almost missed how the dancing shadows began to take a definitive form, seeping from the corners and growing into a pitch black, mountainous entity. The entity had a face like his, shining coldly with the moon’s bleak rays. 

The whispers stopped, and Silver immediately missed them. There was nobody to listen to but him. 

“Have you learned yet?” The shadow questioned him. “Have you realized you’ve no capacity for it?”

He wanted to reply but terror paralyzed him. All his energy went into meekly shaking his head. 

The darkness crept closer. Silver could see his hands. He knew how hard those hands could beat him. 

“Love, ingrate,” he hissed, “ain’t no use chasing what you’ll never catch. This world has no room for love, you’ll see. And those who do manage to fool you, they’ll leave you just as quickly.”

“That’s- that’s not-“

“Just ask your little doll.” The shadow was surging towards him. With black overtaking his vision, Silver attempted to back away, only to find that there was nowhere to go. He was helpless to pant and shrink against the wall as ice gripped him. 

A strong gust of wind chilled his sweating body as he startled himself awake. His face was uncovered; he was in his secret base, and most importantly, Gold was still with him, stirring awake next to him. His warmth was a godsend to Silver, who shivered still from his nightmare, his heart pounding and his breaths uneven. 

“Silver? What’s wrong?”

He stared at him for a moment, taking in his beautiful, curious eyes and how his brow furrowed in confusion before he broke down; Gold flinched when Silver all but leapt on him. He pinned him to the cave ground with his embrace and was too relieved to be embarrassed at how the tears flowed steadily from his eyes. 

Gold was here. Gold was with him. Gold loved him. 

Right?

Still crying, Silver pulled his face from Gold’s shoulder and took his cheeks in his hands. 

“You can’t leave me,” he whimpered. “Please don’t ever leave me, Gold. I need you.”

There was as much fear as there was confusion on his doll’s face. His pretty mouth dropped open but Silver cut him off with his rambling, pressing Gold’s head into his chest. 

“He’s wrong about us. I know he is. He doesn’t know love like I do, and he doesn’t understand the love I have for you, and the love you have for me. He can’t get between us, Gold. Nobody can. But,” Silver took a much needed breath and shifted Gold away from his chest to look at him, “you have to say it for me. Say you love me.”

His mouth twitched, the bewildered expression still haunting his gorgeous features. Something akin to a small squeak left his chest. 

Silver fought the urge to shake him. “Gold, c’mon. ‘I love you.’ Say it.”

“I.... I love you.”

He didn’t know why Gold sounded so unsure, but right then it didn’t matter. His lover reassured him, and that’s all Silver needed. He felt himself relax, felt his heartbeat slow down, and felt his grip on Gold’s body loosen. The world hadn’t fallen apart. 

There was the familiar rustling of icy bonds as Gold raised his arms up in between them. He hesitated briefly, then one of his hands settled on Silver’s bare shoulder; one light squeeze and the gentle stroking of his fingers had him melting, and Silver rested his cheek against his lover’s head. 

“It’s okay,” Gold uttered, almost to himself. Silver looked down on him but he stared straight ahead; he didn’t flinch as his owner tipped his chin up to kiss his forehead, drawing him in closer with a pleased hum. 

Silver had to say it again. He had to make it known as much as possible: “I love you so much, Gold.”

For a moment there was silence. Then Gold shifted in his embrace, looked into his eyes, and smiled for the first time since he’d taken him. 

“I love you too,” he said.


	9. Chapter 9

Of all the things he was expecting, running into her wasn’t one of them. 

She was practically the last thing on his mind, only calling him to check up on him since Gold’s disappearance, and encourage him to come back from training to catch up. 

“I know you’re upset, but you need to take care of yourself, Silver. Wouldn’t Gold want you to be happy?”

He was happy, unbelievably so. Gold was happy as well, nestled into his side and currently sucking at his owner’s neck. It was like a switch was flipped with him. One day he was subdued and quiet, squirming away when Silver tried to hold him, and then the next he was speaking to him, cuddling with him, and telling him he loved him. 

Gold’s tongue licked a stripe up the side of his neck and Silver exhaled, feeling himself growing excited. He shifted Gold on top of him, clutching his hips against himself, and pressed his lips against his throat. Gold nipped at him harder in response. 

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?” Silver’s voice was low and lazy. He let his hand travel down his doll’s back, wrangling a squeak out of Gold when he squeezed at his ass. With the simple motion the little tease was under his control, helplessly panting against Silver’s neck. His fingers ran slowly over his naked body. Gold cooed when a digit pressed against his entrance. “Just wait till later.”

“What?” Gold whined, rocking his hips back and forth in the effort to push Silver’s finger inside him. When he looked at him, his yellow eyes seemed lifeless somehow, though his voice and actions were evidently full of life and love. “I’ve been so good for you! Can’t I get some now?”

“If you do now then you won’t later.”

Gold groaned and reluctantly went still, then limply laid against his owner. But he still wasn’t done. 

“Are we talkin’ sex-“ he whispered cheekily in Silver’s ear “-or something else?”

The little toy was wearing on his self control, but Silver had to indulge himself just a little. 

His lips curled into a challenging smirk: “You’ve got my leg right there, doll. How about you use it and show me how much you want it?”

Gold grinned widely and gleefully; he took little time in positioning his crotch against Silver’s leg and started moving, grinding against him with animalistic grunts and moaning when Silver slipped a hand around his leaking length. He slowed a bit as Silver stroked him lazily, and in response he smacked his bare hip and ordered him to keep moving. It didn’t take much longer. Gold’s pace picked up and became desperate; he buried his face in Silver’s neck and attempted to moan out his owner’s name, but with a flick to his tip, his voice was reduced to a pathetic squeal. 

“Look how good you’re being for me,” he pressed a kiss to the top of Gold’s trembling head. “How close are you?”

He only got mewls and pants in return. Gold was rutting against his leg like a good little whore, and when he pulled him away and met his hazy eyes, he spoke up, something changing in his posture. 

“S-Silver,” he choked out, thrusting harder. His naked body was straining, breaths coming in frenzied pants, sweat beading on his flushed face and nipples practically begging to be pinched, but Silver’s hand was full with his throbbing cock. “Silver, I can’t, I can’t take- much-“

“Cum on my hand. Show me that you’re mine.”

With a breathy wail Gold came, fucking his lover’s hand through the entirety of his orgasm. And when he slowed and softened, Silver milked him further, commanding him to keep his back straight and look him in the eye even as he squirmed. 

“Say thank you, Gold.”

“A-ah! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Say you love me.”

“I love you, Silver, really, so much!”

“That’s good,” Silver grinned, “now thank me for taking you away.”

Something flashed across Gold’s face, but it was gone as quickly as it came, and suddenly he collapsed on him. 

“...can’t. So tired...”

“You must be. Look at the mess you’ve made. I should make you clean it up,” Silver paused, taking in how Gold’s blank expression didn’t change, “but because you did what I told you to do, I won’t. Can’t promise for next time, though.”

He got a flat “mm” in response. Silver placed Gold on the base floor on his back, knowing that was how he liked to sleep, and grabbed the blanket. It was sticky, and upon further investigation, the material was marred with blood. They must’ve had it underneath them during a rough round of sex. Silver sighed. 

“Speaking of messes,” he said, holding up the blanket when Gold’s eyes slowly focused on him. 

“Not my fault. I told you to get lube-“ he looked down, his voice quieting, “-and to stop.”

“Ain’t my blood, now, is it?”

“Then go wash it.”

“I will. Bastard.”

“Shithead.”

Silver’s face was hurting with how wide he was grinning. It was like they were back to normal- stupid fights here, bickering there- with the exception of their new relationship. But no matter how hard he tried to convince himself that everything was normal and okay, Silver had an inkling that something wasn’t right with Gold. 

He sauntered down the rugged mountain pass, bloody blanket in hand. It wouldn’t be appropriate for something as precious as Gold to be swaddled with dirty material, and as long as he made washing it quick, nobody would see him and get suspicious. 

The Cerulean River was as blue as its namesake. Silver perched himself on the riverbed and began to wash the blanket. His mind wandered as he worked; it was too easy to get lost in staring at the winding crimson color as it bled into the perfect water, like past sins dislodging themselves from a tired soul and flying freely away. 

Gold always perplexed him, but Silver was stuck on the expression that crossed his face while he pleasured him. Had he said something out of line? What could Silver say; he liked hearing Gold thank him for all of the work he put into housing and taking care of him. He liked seeing Gold wriggle and writhe in his bonds and in his clutches, so stubborn and yet so vulnerable. He liked seeing Gold release all over him. He just loved him so much, and it frustrated him that he couldn’t read that one solitary expression, that one silent message from his precious doll to him. Was he embarrassed? Was he in pain? Was it love?

Or was it resentment?

“Silver!”

His heart caught in his throat and he whirled around to confront the voice. Up in the sky, among the rising sun’s strong rays, was a puffy floating object, as well as a person perched upon it, and Silver cursed under his breath. Of all the things he worried about, running into Blue certainly wasn’t one. But he couldn’t hide. There was nowhere to run and no way out. All he could do, and all he did, was take a breath, release the wet blanket, and smile. 

“Hi, Blue,” he said in what he hoped to be a cordial tone as she and Jiggly landed. Blue took little time in marching up to him. 

“Out training, huh?” There was a bite to the question, but from what he could tell, Blue was all smiles. “I’ve missed you, you know. How have you been... dealing?”

Even though Blue was masterful at hiding her true emotions, Silver could sense the creeping concern in her voice, as well as how her eyes flitted over his face as if searching for silent details. Under her facade, she was worried about him. In her mind, he was grieving his best friend. 

Silver let a small smile grow on his face and squeezed the hand Blue laid on his shoulder. 

“It’s been okay. I’ve come to accept what’s happened. Maybe it’s for the best.”

When Blue’s brows furrowed in confusion, he was quick to continue: “I mean, look what’s happened to us. The world is a nasty place, and who knows what other terrible things would happen to him.”

“I guess,” she stated. She didn’t look convinced in the slightest. “Anyway....” there was a mischievous glint in her eye, “who’s the lucky lady?”

His eyes went wide. “What? What lady?”

“Don’t play coy, Silver. If you’re gonna have a hickey, it would make sense to cover it up.”

His hand flew to his neck, where there was nothing but skin. His jacket’s collar was undone and Gold’s marks were noticeable. Blue giggled at his bewildered expression, and Silver cursed himself for getting sloppy with his appearances. 

“So, who is it? Who’s getting hitched with my little brother?”

He couldn’t tell her. Not yet. Gold wasn’t ready for any visitors. 

“I mean, I have been seeing someone...”

“Oh, have you?” Blue’s eyebrows were raised, her mouth quirked up into an amused grin. “I gotta say, I’ve never seen you as the relationship type! Is it a fling? Or is it-“

“It’s not just a fling. He means more to me than that.”

“He?”

Being intimate with Gold must’ve corrupted him, because he never slipped up like this, especially with such delicate information. But he couldn’t take it back and Blue’s mouth was hanging open. 

“So what’re you doing here?” He asked, trying desperately to change the subject, half-knowing that Blue wouldn’t forget. 

She shrugged, turning to look as Jiggly floated over to the river and dipped a foot in. “I’m gonna go train with Red and Misty. They promised me breakfast, so...”

“Does that breakfast happen to be free?”

“You know it.”

“Of course.” Even through his anxiety, talking to Blue made him feel comfortable. She was still his big sister; the history they shared was exclusive to them, and he knew deep down that Blue understood him better than anybody else. She’d understand...

“Is that yours, Silver?”

She was pointing at the blanket. Still stained with red, it was slowly slipping into the river. Silver made himself exhale. 

“Got attacked sleeping one night while training. It got a hit off before I defeated it.”

Blue studied him, then the blanket, then him once more. 

“Your clothes aren’t ripped at all.”

“It was hot that night, so I left my jacket off.”

“I see.”

The awkward silence that followed was cut off by the call from across the river. Red was waving, and Misty called her again. 

“Be right there!” Blue turned to him and stuck a finger to his chest. “I wanna meet your little boyfriend. When can I see him?”

“Ah...” he flashed another small smile. “He hasn’t been doing well lately, but I’ll let you know once he’s a bit better. Promise.”

“Sounds good. Take care of yourself, Silver, and don’t you dare forget to call!”

With that, Blue grabbed hold of Jiggly and the two floated over to where their friends waited. Silver watched his sister land and hug Red and Misty; he remembered when he was jealous whenever Blue gave someone other than him attention, until he met Gold. But the jealousy was worse; it burned when Gold even looked at another person, and it was only a matter of time before Silver took him and placed him where nobody would get to see him. 

The sun was high in the clear blue sky. Gold was waiting for him, probably starving, so Silver released Weavile and ordered her to gather berries for them. She scampered away as he climbed back up the rocky road of the mountain towards his base. 

Gold regarded him with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as Silver entered. His eyes trailed to Silver’s hands. 

“Where’s the blanket?”

“...” his hands were empty. “Fuck.”

Gold’s grin grew. “You seriously forgot the thing you went out for in the first place? C’mon man! These stupid shackles are freezing!” As if to cement his point, he lifted his bound wrists. They were discolored and puffy, and Silver realized how long he’d forced Gold to wear the icy shackles. 

“I ran into Blue.”

There was that pleading look in Gold’s yellow eyes.

“Did she... ask-“

“What do you think?” His voice was clipped and firm but his doll got the point, wilting slightly against the wall, a dejected look on his face. 

“Thought so.”

Silver brightened at that. His good boy was losing hope, just like he wanted him to. There was a familiar cry behind him. 

“Hungry?”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“Don’t worry, Gold,” Silver waved Weavile in and sat next to his love. “You have everything and everybody you need, right here.”

They ate silently. Once the little tired thing fell asleep and rested against his shoulder, Silver allowed himself to plan. He knew that Blue wouldn’t forget about his relationship. She’d badger him every time they’d meet, mostly because she was curious and nosy, but also to scope out any sort of danger that Silver was exposing himself to. Somethings never change. 

He glanced over at Gold; he always looked so calm and peaceful when he was asleep, when there was no pressure to smile or crack jokes or fight. Silver fought the urge to stroke his hair but decided to let his doll sleep. Though it hurt to see him so broken down, that attitude was necessary to keep him isolated and by Silver’s side, unable and unwilling to get away. A short visit wouldn’t hurt. All Gold needed was clothes (because nobody had the right to see his naked body but his owner) and some manners drilled into him, just in case. Then Blue would be satisfied. Then she’d see that Silver could be responsible for delicate things, just like the doll behind the store window all those years ago. He’d finally found love, and she’d be so proud of him. 

The missing blanket was promptly forgotten. By that night, it was well on its way to the shore of New Bark Town.


	10. Chapter 10

It wasn’t the first time the radio mentioned his name, and Silver knew that it wouldn’t be the last. What was different about this broadcast was the tone- there was a tone of hope. 

Silver chastised himself over and over, cursing how he could make such a juvenile mistake as losing a massive piece of evidence. He could’ve lost everything. He could’ve lost Gold, his doll, his entire world, all because of his own utter stupidity. But deep down, he knew he was still safe. The police were useless. His base was hidden deep within the mountains near Cerulean Cave, where nobody dared to trespass. And, if it ever came to it, he had his whole team willing and adamant to protect them. Silver had nothing to worry about. They’d never find him. 

The blanket was a setback, but he decided to push ahead with his plan of showing Gold off to Blue, because she’d understand how monumental his forming a relationship was. She’d be the only one to know Gold’s location, and Blue was always a master of keeping secrets. There was nothing to worry about, but Silver still had to prepare. 

He made sure to land quietly on the roof of Gold’s house in New Bark Town before picking the window lock of his room and slipping inside. The room still smelled like him, and Silver instantly felt a wave of adoration for his love wash over him. But he had work to do. Moving quickly, Silver reached into his closet and picked out the first outfit he saw. It was a simple black shirt, a comfy looking hoodie, sweatpants, and sports sliders. That was all he needed, and he wouldn’t be wearing the clothes for long anyway, as they were only temporary shields to dissuade Blue’s prying eyes. Not that she’d pry, but Silver didn’t like the idea of anybody but him seeing Gold’s beautiful body- not even his sister. 

Silver allowed himself one glance around the room before he departed: sports medals and trophies were stored neatly on the shelves, Gold’s computer sat dark and unused in the corner, and the bed was unmade, messy, and obviously slept in. If he had to guess, that was Gold’s mother’s way of staying close to her missing son. Understandable. Silver always liked her; she was always kind and welcoming to him. He wished that he could tell her that her son was okay, in good hands, and being taken care of lovingly, but she couldn’t know because she’d want him back, and Gold wasn’t in the position to be taken away from him. 

It was clear that she loved Gold almost as much as he did, but not enough to prevent Silver from stealing him. She only had herself to blame. 

Honchkrow caught him as he dropped from the window, and they flew east, into Kanto, and towards Cerulean. 

It was still dark when Silver landed on the rocky landscape of the mountain. He crept into the base as to not wake Gold, but as he set down his clothes and sat against the wall, his doll spoke up:

“You scared me, man. You never leave me during the night, and I thought you wouldn’t come back.”

He sighed. Still so insecure of his unending love. Silver inched himself towards his lover and laid on the soft material of his replacement blanket. He immediately pulled Gold into his arms, minding where those freezing shackles laid, and pressed their foreheads together. There were glistening tears in Gold’s eyes but Silver couldn’t help but smile and squeeze him tighter. 

“Don’t be an idiot,” he chuckled softly, “you know I’d never abandon you. I wouldn’t be able to look at myself in the mirror if I did. And,” he made sure that Gold’s teary gaze met his, “you mean too much to me for me to just leave you behind. If I go anywhere, you’re coming with me. Okay?”

“Okay.” He was quiet for a moment, then said in a hesitant voice, “what were you out for?”

“Clothes. I stopped by your old house-“

Gold’s eyes hardened. “Lemme guess. She was throwing my shit out.”

Smart toy. 

“Close. She was selling your things out front. Just left them out overnight on the lawn. Something about moving her boyfriend in, I dunno. Not important. What is important is that Blue is coming over tomorrow, so I’m going to dress you up and make you look presentable for her. Get some rest now.”

Gold didn’t answer, and Silver took his silence as an opportunity to fall asleep himself. Or at least he tried to. The radio report was fresh in his mind, repeating over and over about “Gold of New Bark Town, missing for months”, and how “DNA found on a bloodied blanket will lead to clues that will further our investigation.”

What a joke. Silver tried to brush off the announcement blaring in his head, and he didn’t like how thinking about it filled him with intense apprehension.


	11. Chapter 11

Gold was in a bratty mood. 

He huffed at Silver’s rules, refusing to repeat the phrases and the manners that he was supposed to adhere to when Blue came to visit; the only things that pacified him were Silver’s fingers inside him (after he’d been slapped around a bit first). 

He thrashed and squirmed when his owner cleaned him up. There was dirt, cum, and remnants of blood all over him, and Blue couldn’t see Gold like that. Silver had a reputation of responsibility to uphold. 

Gold finally went still and silent when Silver brought out the clothes he was to wear for the visit. Freed from his bonds for the first time, his doll stared blankly at his swollen wrists; they were discolored with frostbite and had gone numb long ago, but when Silver threw on his shirt and hoodie, they were covered, with no traces of the injuries visible. Silver stood back and admired his work. Gold looked normal, a fine image of the person he’d so wanted for such a long time; he looked like the friend in the sweats and red hoodie that had eluded him and intrigued him and frustrated him until Silver couldn’t take it anymore. He looked like the person he used to be, before he became a possession. 

“I like you better naked.” It took him a minute to realize he’d said it out loud, but Gold’s head raised to look at him. “Clothes don’t do your body justice. They make you look like you’re independent when you’re not.”

“They don’t fit right anymore,” Gold murmured, wearing that empty expression that Silver could never figure out. “They’re hangin’ off me.”

That was true. The collar of his shirt was nearly exposing Gold’s shoulder. His hoodie was much looser than intended and his sweatpants sagged, practically teasing Silver with a view of his prominent hipbones. 

“Can’t have you getting fat when you look so pretty skinny.”

“Is that why you barely feed me?”

Silver guessed that was meant as a joke, but Gold’s eyes widened as his narrowed. His mouth opened in a hurry but Silver cut him off. 

“I don’t believe I have to feed you at all. How about I starve you for a week? Then you’ll be so nice and thin for me,” he let a slow smile etch itself onto his face. Gold’s brows were furrowed in fear and that just made him all the more appetizing. “Look at it this way: your clothes are big so that they’ll be nice and easy for me to tear off of you later, and if you’re good for Blue then I’ll make sure to be gentle.”

Silver stood up and checked his gear. It was almost time, and Blue never arrived anywhere late. 

“Repeat the rules for me again, Gold.”

“I won’t speak because I have nothing to say. I won’t move unless you guide me. I won’t argue when you tell me to do something.”

“And if I want to kiss you?” Silver prompted. 

“I’ll close my eyes,” Gold swallowed, not meeting his owner’s expectant stare, “and open my mouth.”

“Good boy.” 

Silver left him huddled in the corner while he walked outside, his eyes scanning the sky for any traces of blasting water or balloon-like shadows. Sure enough, his sister was in sight, floating steadily towards him, binoculars in hand. He waved, unable to fight the gleeful smile threatening to show on his face. Blue waved back. 

She practically ran up to him the moment her feet hit the ground. 

“At long last,” Blue declared dramatically, clasping her hands together, “my little brother has broken out of his lonely shell! I must meet the person responsible!”

Silver’s laugh was loud and raucous. He slipped an arm around her shoulder and led her to the base entrance. 

He knew that Blue needed a minute for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the base, so he studied her expression closely. There was excitement, then a moment of confusion, and finally an odd type of realization as Blue turned to look him in the eyes. 

“Oh,” was all that slipped out of her mouth. 

Silver grinned and squeezed her arm. “Surprised, aren’t you?”

He didn’t wait for her reply; Gold didn’t move as he strode to him, but stood when ordered to. His eyes remained downcast. 

“All this time... he’s been-“

“Right here. Safe and cared for. And loved.” Silver continued to ramble cheerfully, “I’ve always loved him, Blue, but I kept myself away until I couldn’t take it anymore. So I saved him. I took him because if he stayed free the world would’ve crushed him like it crushed us.”

“The world didn’t crush us, Silver.”

He balked. 

“What?” It came out much harsher than he expected, and he immediately noticed how Blue took a sneaky step back. “It didn’t? Last time I checked, you had constant night terrors. You couldn’t stand the dark and you couldn’t even look at a bird without panicking!”

“That’s true,” Blue stated slowly. Her voice was firm yet calm. “I was scared of a lot of things, and I still am. But Silver, the world didn’t crush us. We just had to adapt to it, and we did. It wasn’t all bad.”

He stared at her. She said it again: “The world’s not all bad, Silver. You know that.”

“Maybe not to you. He’s the only thing I got now.”

His grip on Gold tightened. Somehow he felt his doll tremble but didn’t take his eyes off of Blue. She looked worried, concern furrowing her brows and marring her pretty face, and while she remained quiet, he took in her words. 

What was she talking about? The world wasn’t bad- it was terrible. And if anybody knew that for a fact, it’d be him and Blue. After all the trauma and beatings, as well as all that time spent on the street without a home, that was the main lesson to learn about it. How had it slipped over her head? Or... how did she change her mind?

“Well...”

Silver snapped out of his revelries. His grip on Gold was painful, so he loosened his fist, feeling his lover take a deep, shaking breath beside him. The smile on Blue’s face was refreshing and reassuring, even after their conversation. Silver felt some of the tension leave his shoulders. 

“I really have to get going, but before I do-“ she fiddled with her bag and procured a camera, facing him again with a cheeky grin, “-I need a picture of the happy couple!”

Blue held up the camera before he could even reply, so Silver relented. Gold’s body was still shaking slightly as he pulled him close. “Smile,” he hissed. 

There was a flash of light. Blue immediately took the polaroid out of the camera and stuffed it into her bag, remarking at how she needed a momento for this massive occasion. She hesitated for a moment, then, seemingly making up her mind, strode to Silver and wrapped her arms around him. 

“Goodbye,” she whispered. Leaning back, there were gleaming tears in her eyes. 

“Why are you crying?”

Blue shook her head with a smile. 

“I’m just... so happy for you, Silver. I never thought it would be this way.” She took his cheeks in her hands, but only held his eyes for a second before her own trailed towards Gold, then down. 

Without another word, his sister’s hands were off his face and Blue turned to leave. She didn’t look back or wave farewell. 

Silver didn’t realize until then that his hands were balled into fists and his breaths were heavy, but instead of calming down, he turned and pinned Gold to the wall, glaring down at his sexy little companion. He leaned forward as his doll leaned back, and once they were nose to nose, Silver smiled, hooked a finger into his sweatpants, and snapped it against his porcelain skin. 

“Take them off.”

Doing as he was told, his lover quickly stripped himself as soon as Silver stepped back. The hoodie, shirt, and sweatpants were on the base ground when Gold hesitated with his stiff hands hovering near his underwear. His yellow eyes were pleading but Silver refused to humor him; he chose instead to feel himself through his pants, already so excited to claim his toy once again. He licked his lips. Gold was still staring at him, but that was okay. If he needed help then Silver would help him. 

And he did. 

He helped by cornering Gold once again and shoving his tongue into his mouth, desperately trying to make up for lost time. He helped by pulling his doll flush against him and rubbing, moaning lowly when Gold reciprocated with his own hips. He helped by laying down and pulling Gold with him, gripping his back and holding him against his chest without breaking their kiss. He helped by reaching down and all but tearing off Gold’s boxers, not caring to soothe the whimper that escaped into the air around them. 

The look of panic was prominent in Gold’s eyes as Silver started to penetrate him without lube. He leapt off of him, and his owner followed, easily pinning his skinny body to the ground and pushing in once more. Even with only the tip of his arousal inside him, tears ran down Gold’s face. Silver fought the urge to punch him. 

“Stop crying,” he growled. His cock pushed in further, tearing a hoarse cry from his doll. 

“Y-you said you’d- ah!- be gentle!”

“And I changed my mind. Don’t forget that I can do whatever I want with you, and that includes breaking ‘promises’.”

Gold started to reply so he shoved two fingers down his throat to silence him. The gagging that proceeded only helped to fuel Silver’s thrusts; he pretended that Gold was choking on his cock, not his fingers, but he pulled them out of his mouth and used the wet digits to fondle and tug at his length. 

“God,” Silver breathed, fully sheathed within his possession. “How did I manage to share you for all those years? I had to share you with one person today and I nearly cracked and fucked you right in front of her.” He let his lips trail sloppy kisses up the side of Gold’s neck until he reached his ear. “But you’d like that, wouldn’t you? You like showing people that you’re mine.”

“Mm, Silver...” the whiny slut was practically begging him to go harder, so Silver indulged. He spread those pale legs further apart and pushed in. Gold’s head was arched back, he was keening, and his cock bounced solidly against his stomach with every brutal thrust that rocked him. 

Fingers threaded through his red hair and Silver smirked into the torrid kiss Gold initiated. He let Gold explore his mouth before one sharp push had him leaning away- as far back as he could go before his owner yanked him back into the kiss. 

It was clear that Gold was out of breath. He writhed pathetically beneath him, kicking and twisting around the cock pounding inside of him, but Silver couldn’t quite bring himself to care. He couldn’t bring himself to stop either. The kiss grew sickeningly sweet and gentle, just barely masking Gold’s attempts at breaking away for air. He was clutching at his bare shoulders; little panicked cries escaped his open mouth before Silver let him go, softening his fall with his hand behind his doll’s head. Color rushed back into his face and he painted as if he’d just ran a marathon. Most importantly, though, there was his spend cooling on his stomach. 

Silver drew him into his lap with his head resting on his shoulder, cradling him lovingly as if he hadn’t just nearly smothered him. All Gold could do was pant and spasm as Silver stroked and released over his back and behind. 

He murmured, “Never again.”

Blue shared his experiences, but not his viewpoints. As far as Silver was concerned, she was as clueless as the rest of them; she’d never get the privilege to see Gold again.


	12. Chapter 12

Blue lied. She wasn’t happy. She was jealous. 

That was the only reason Silver could think of in an attempt to justify and understand why his base was surrounded. He remained silent when voices called to him from outside, beyond the makeshift ice wall that Weavile created to shield them. 

She was jealous of his love, of his companion, of his new life. All that time he spent regarding her as a sister-

“Silver!”

-was a lie. 

Blue was yelling to them, but Silver didn’t listen to a word she said. How could he? He didn’t want to think about the scene outside; Blue was probably right in front of the police force sent to ruin his life, with that concerned look that always fooled him clear on her face, spitting sickly lies right through her teeth. Maybe she was crying. Maybe Red and Green were with her, or even Crys. Maybe there really was no way out, like the policeman said. 

Ridiculous. Their way out was currently clutched tight in Silver’s hand. 

His free hand stroked Gold’s hair. One of the main points of his anger was at how much the monsters outside upset his doll; even though he put on a brave face, Silver felt Gold trembling against him and saw the quiet tears dripping down his cheeks, and knew that he was terrified. 

“Nobody’s gonna take you away,” he tried to soothe his lover, but Gold only choked out a sob and buried his face into Silver’s neck. “They can’t hurt you, Gold, because I won’t let them.”

Quiet enough that Silver could barely hear: “Please...”

The ice began to crack. A quick nod to Weavile had her rebuilding the wall, but Silver already knew it was no use. Time for their way out. 

“I told you. If I’m going anywhere, you’re coming with me.”

He flipped his knife open and held Gold closer. His naked body was warm, and Silver wished he could make love to his doll one last time. Something hit the wall; Weavile cried out. One quick motion had the blade of his knife plunging into Gold’s stomach. He ignored his wail of pain and twisted the knife inside him before tearing it out. Within moments blood soaked both of their figures as they sat huddled against the cave wall. 

Gold’s breaths were short and labored, hot puffs of air tickling Silver’s neck from where he buried his face into his shoulder. 

“...Silver...”

“I know,” he answered, running a hand up his doll’s back. “Just a bit longer. We’ll be rid of them all soon, promise.”

Gold whimpered. He shifted him to his side, lifted the bloodied knife, and brought it into his own chest. There was instant pain burning and corroding into seemingly every cell of his body, but what hurt more was the panicked look on Gold’s pale face and the fear in his yellow eyes. 

Fluid was rising into his throat. Suddenly too heavy to grasp, the knife slipped out of his hand and clattered on the cave floor, but instead of releasing Gold, Silver let himself slump to the side with him. They laid together, breaths growing difficult and laced with blood, but Silver was in bliss. 

This is what he’d always wanted, to die with his possession close in his embrace before taking him to the afterlife by the hand. Together forever. 

Gold went still in his arms. It was harder to keep his eyes open, so Silver settled for pressing their foreheads together, bidding his doll an “I love you.”

There was nothing left to say, so Silver said no more. He let himself go with a smile on his face.


	13. Chapter 13

He was just beginning to doze off when multiple figures crashed through the ice. Frenzied voice sounded from everywhere around him, and if he had the mind to identify them, they would’ve sounded familiar. But within moments the pain from his wounds overwhelmed him, and he slipped away again. 

When he awoke once more, the softness of the bed bewildered him. It was too soft; for many nights he’d been laying on the hard ground of the base, away from any semblance of a home, and through his comfort, he was on edge. Something seemed off. 

His vision was blurry. He was in the hospital, he knew that much, and by the constant flurry of white-coated figures, he knew that there was something gravely wrong with him. 

Anytime he would begin to string along a coherent thought, he passed out. 

Finally, at long last, there was some sharpness to his eyes and some shape to his hearing. He lifted his head slightly from the pillow, which took much more strength than he expected, to glance around the room. There was nobody. He was alone. 

Gold took in the empty room and felt a spike of panic shoot up his spine. 

“Silver...” he groaned, “Silver!”

When there was no reply, he attempted to jump from the bed, but very quickly the stabbing pain in his gut stopped him in his tracks. The sheer throbbing from his attempt to move had him laid back on the bed once more. Taking deep breaths in an attempt to quell his panic, Gold traced his numb hand lightly over the thick bandages on his stomach. He was... alive. That confused him. He wasn’t supposed to be alive. He was supposed to be with-

“Gold, sweetheart.”

Even from her distance as she stood in the doorway to the room, he could see the tears in her eyes. His mother took a deep breath and rushed over to him, taking little time to grasp his hand and smooth his hair. 

“Where is he?” Gold demanded again. “Where’s Silver?”

There was a distinct flash of fear in her eyes. She gripped his hand tighter. 

“Don’t worry, dear,” she said slowly, “he’s gone.”

“Gone?!” Gold tried to yank his hand away but the sharp soreness stopped him. All he could do was glare at his mother. “Where did he go?”

Her warm grip tightened on his hand. His mother was silent for a moment, seemingly thinking about what to say, before she met his eyes again. Her gaze was uncharacteristically hard. 

“He’s dead, Gold. He can’t hurt you anymore.”

Dead. Silver was dead. Silver was gone. 

“He left without me,” he whispered brokenly. Tears stung at Gold’s eyes before slipping down his face. He made no attempt to stop them. 

“What are you talking about?” His mother was bewildered but Gold just shook his head, quickly choking back gasping sobs that threatened to shake his entire broken body. 

It couldn’t be. This wasn’t supposed to happen. They were supposed to go together and be together, but instead he was hurt and alone and trapped with all the people that hated him. 

“Silver!” Gold wailed out his owner’s name even though he knew it was for nothing, but if anything the name was comforting on his tongue. He tried thinking about him as if his pleading thoughts would will Silver back to life, just long enough for him to grab him and take him away. Just like he’d promised him. 

But it didn’t work and Silver didn’t show up. All Gold could do was sob as hard as his body could take. 

His mother was frantic. “Gold, he hurt you!”

“You don’t fucking get it! He never hurt me! He took care of me and loved me!”

That bitch didn’t understand. Silver was right about her: she didn’t care about him, she never loved him, and she thought he was a failure. 

“They probably forced you to see me,” Gold muttered, casting a disgusted glance at the woman sitting shocked next to him, “it’s not like you’d choose to be here. But don’t worry. You’ll be rid of me soon.”

“What’re you talking about?”

He looked her in the face and smiled. 

“If I want to be with him, I’ll find a way.” 

His mother went pale, let go of his hand, and stood up with a start. She turned and strode out of his hospital room. 

Gold scanned his surroundings, looking for any instrument he could get his hands on: syringes, scalpels, knives. Everything was infuriatingly sterile- not at all like the comfortably hard secret base they’d taken him from. The bed was too soft and the room was too bright and everything was too cushy and suffocating; if this was his life now, with no lover to take care of him, then he wanted no part of it. 

With no knives to be seen, he turned to what was most easily available to him: his IV. Tearing it out set off the monitor, and as he moved his numb hands to pierce the skin of his wrist and dig in, several staff rushed toward him. They seized his arms and knocked away the needle, all while he howled and cursed at them. When they stepped back Gold was bound to the bed, IV back in place, and a sedative injected into him. 

“Lucky for you guys,” he murmured snarkily, “I’m used to being tied up.”

His mother came back to him, her eyes red and swollen. 

“It’ll be okay, dear.” She didn’t sound too convinced. 

Gold ignored her, opting to fall victim to the sedative coursing through his veins. As he passed out, he imagined Silver’s arms around him, holding him close and keeping him safe.


	14. Chapter 14

He didn’t even have to ask who was settling on top of him because Silver’s weight was familiar. Gold cried- he was pretty sure those were tears of joy flowing down his cheeks- before gentle fingers wiped his tears away. 

“Silver,” he tried. 

The room was sheathed in darkness and the monitors beside him were silent. Silver was nothing but a warm, heavy shadow, hovering over his bound body. He tried fruitlessly to pry his hands free and touch his lover. Instead, Silver began to touch him. 

Teasing fingers ghosted down his body. His owner slowly pulled up his hospital gown before laying down on him, snaking his hands up Gold’s chest and brushing his lips against his neck. Silver’s breath was chilly. 

“You left without me!” What was meant to be a firm statement came out as a pathetic whine. “You left...”

Gold trailed off. One of Silver’s hands glided down his stomach and traced his erection through his boxers, and the simple act made Gold shudder with intense desire. He arched his neck for his owner to kiss and attempted to wriggle out of his boxers, but he didn’t have to: the shadow’s deft digits brushed up and down his straining cock, slow and steady, just how he liked it. Something hot and intense was growing inside him; Gold squirmed and panted in an attempt to control himself but knew it was no use trying to fight Silver. His body was Silver’s to own, and he knew how exactly to make him scream. 

So when he tried to bite down his eager mewls, Silver finally spoke to him, cooing darkly in his ear: “Moan for me, doll.”

“S-ah!” The hand pumped faster. “Ngh!”

He gasped for air but Silver’s lips met his in a heavy kiss. Initially Gold was afraid that his owner was going to smother him, but he decided that if Silver wanted to take him, he’d let him have his way. But the kiss broke. The darkness was far too deep to see his face, but he knew that Silver was hovering over him, watching his lusting expressions with a smile on his lips while he prodded at his doll’s nipples and stroked his cock. Precum slicked up his erection as it pulsed in his owner’s hand. Pleasure sparked up Gold’s spine and suddenly it was far too much. 

“Silver,” he whimpered, “I-I can’t- I’m gonna cum!”

Silver’s low purr pushed Gold over the edge as he came hard, splattering all over his bandaged stomach and bare chest and moaning throughout. He laid against the hospital bed while attempting to catch his breath. Shadowed fingers milked every drop of cum from his length, not stopping until Silver was satisfied. 

But Gold wanted more. He thrashed in bed and attempted to reach for his lover, who was slowly getting off of him. 

“Please-“ his stupid, numb fingers stretched as far as they could go, “-take me!”

Silver was gone. The dim lights were restored to the room and Gold panted, now wide awake. His mother was still sitting next to him and grabbed his shoulder as he attempted to catch his breath. Pleasure still tingled through his veins, and without shifting he could feel the spend in his boxers. He was too tired to shrug her hand away. 

“Did you have a bad dream?”

Gold grinned. “Quite the opposite,” he stated. He knew she got the point by the look of slight disgust that crossed her face. “Speaking of that, why’re you still here? Aren’t you supposed to be with your boyfriend?”

Her yellow eyes narrowed. “...boyfriend? Gold, I-“

“Don’t act like you don’t know what I’m talking about!” He sat up in bed, taking care to keep pressure off of his stomach, and shook his mother’s hand off his shoulder. “Silver told me everything- your new boyfriend, how he moved into my room and how you threw away everything I had!”

There were visible tears in her eyes. “Gold,” she sputtered, “that’s not true. Since you’d gone, I haven’t done anything or spoken to anybody save for the police and some of your friends. All my time has been spent looking for you, trying to figure out what happened to you and if you were okay. I thought of you every night before I went to bed and you were my first thought when I woke up in the morning. There’s no boyfriend. Never has been. If Silver told you there was,” her gaze was intent, “then he was lying to you.”

It was Gold’s turn to fall silent. His mother’s eyes were red and swollen and her hair was a mess. Her usually manicured nails had gone awry, the polish outgrown and its color faded. There were bags under her eyes and she looked paler than usual. He took in her figure and looked into her eyes, and while he’d never before imagined that his owner had lied to him, his mother’s words began to challenge that. He couldn’t help but believe her. 

“That doesn’t matter now, dear,” she said, breaking the silence. “You still need to rest and recover. It’s late; we’ll talk more in the morning. I love you, Gold. More than anything.”

He shifted onto his back and under the covers. When he’d first woken up his mind had been overwhelmed with anger, but then as he laid in bed with his mother by his side, he couldn’t help but feel confused.


	15. Chapter 15

Gold didn’t know what to make of the presents that sat on his small hospital table: flowers, Cinnabar Volcano Burgers, lava cookies, video games, a stuffed cyndaquil. His mother had brought them in and read off the names of the people that gifted them. 

“The flowers were from Yellow. Green and Red brought the Volcano Burgers and video games, and Blue had the cyndaquil. Why the security tag’s still on is a question I’m not quite looking for the answer to.” Gold felt himself stifle a smile at that. “Plus your friends from Hoenn sent the lava cookies, they said you liked them.”

He did, but somehow he never felt very hungry anymore. Silver had always made a point to feed him as little as possible to keep him skinny and pretty, and Gold wanted to try his best to uphold that for him because he loved him (or because he was still too scared to stray from obedience). Still, nobody had visited him except for his mother, and that stung. It was easy to send gifts to a person that nobody truly cared about, but actively coming over and forcing a conversation together must’ve been too much for them all. 

Then his mother’s voice broke his train of thought: “They’re here, Gold, but the doctors and nurses are only bringing in three people at a time. Green and Yellow said they’d drop by another time, but Red, Blue, and Crys are here.”

He couldn’t have heard right. “They’re... here to see me?”

She smiled widely, putting down the flowers to pat at his hand before responding, “Of course they are, dearie. They’ve been asking to come here every day, and practically ran over once the doctors said you were well enough.”

Crys was the first one through the door, hurrying towards him with a scrunched up look on her face. When she hugged him, she made sure to watch his stomach and to not squeeze him too tightly. His arms were originally at his sides, but once he felt her beginning to shake and heard her breaths become sobs in his ears, Gold let himself hold his arms around her, hugging her back. When she leaned back to look at him, the tears in her eyes and the pain on her face were way too genuine for him to doubt. The confusion within him was growing more by the minute. 

“I’m so glad you’re okay...” Crys trailed off and stood up, wiping the tears off of her face before letting out a hiccuped laugh. “Sorry that we’re bombarding you, we just heard that you were here and you were okay and-“

“So we had to come,” Blue finished with a smile. There was something distant in her eyes, but before he could think about it any more, Crys spoke up again. 

“We brought you something, Gold!” She procured a flat present from behind her back and handed it to him. 

After looking at the package blankly for a few seconds, Gold gripped the wrapping with his trembling fingers and tore. Beneath the merry paper was a photo frame. 

A picture of the six of them at the beach: Red and Green battling, Blue and Yellow tanning, Crys and him passing a soccer ball back and forth. His was turned toward the camera, smiling, obviously cordial with the person taking the picture-

His face fell. Suddenly it was hard to keep back his tears. 

Obviously seeing the strain on his face, Crys turned to Red and Blue, quietly asking the two to give them space. Gold held in his tears until they were out of the room. 

“He took the picture...”

“I’m so sorry, Gold,” Crys tried to take the picture out of his hands but he held it tight, “I- we just- wanted to-“ 

“I miss him, Crys.”

Her voice cut out, and the expression that grew on her face was one of bafflement. “...What?”

There was a lump in his throat that almost made it impossible to breathe, let alone speak, but he had to get it out- even if Crys hated him like Silver said she did. She was there and she was able to listen. 

Gold choked out again, “I miss him. He was supposed to take me along with him, he told me so, but I’m still here. I have nobody here because he was all I had.”

“But you have us, Gold.”

He stared down at the picture before meeting her concerned gaze. 

“He said you all hated me. That you thought I was worthless and were all better off with me gone.”

The incredulity that flooded into her blue eyes was instant and intense. Crys sat on the edge of his bed, and, laying her hands on his shoulders, shook her head slowly. Her eyes didn’t leave his. Gold couldn’t bring himself to look away. 

“None of that is true.” She squeezed his shoulders almost to the point of pain and continued in a shaky voice, “You mean the world to us. Everything was different when you were gone in the worst way possible. We searched everywhere for you, took shifts watching where you might’ve been, and discussed what could’ve happened every day. I couldn’t sleep at night because I kept thinking about all the awful things that might’ve happened to you. You’re my best friend, and to think that fucking bastard-“ a steadying breath, “-to think he would’ve poisoned you against us.... I’m sorry, Gold, that we couldn’t find you until it was almost too late.”

They were quiet for a while, with the beeping of monitors and clicking of machines being the only noises filling the room. Gold couldn’t help but notice how red Crys’ face had gotten. Expressions were odd to him now because Silver always was so stoic, but seeing her furrow her brows and speak so heatedly about his lover showed an anger that was so genuine that it scared him. 

“Crys,” he said, as she turned slightly to face him with a questioning look, “I don’t know how to feel anymore- or what to feel. I say that I miss him but you all tell me I shouldn’t. It’s just... I feel so lost. I don’t know what shit to believe anymore, Crys.”

“It’ll take time,” she answered. “What’s happened to you was incredibly traumatic and it’s okay to be confused and scared. But please know that me and your mom, and Red and Yellow, all of us, we’re here for you, Gold. Believe me when I say that. We’re all here for you because we all love you. And,” Crys smiled, though it was a very sad smile, “we’re happy you’re still with us.”

Night had fallen outside of his window, painting the sky with rich hues of navy and purple. Most of the visit was silence between him and Crys. Gold wondered why this quiet with her was so different from the quiet he experienced with Silver. It wasn’t as tense, he thought. Maybe because nothing was expected of him; if he wanted to talk he could, but Crys wouldn’t punish him if he stayed quiet. His eyes were closing when she stood from the bed and grabbed her bags before initiating one more hug. 

“We’ll figure this all out,” she murmured into his shoulder. “I promise we will.”

It seemed like seconds later she was walking out of the room, turning back with a smile and wave, then disappearing into the brightly lit halls. Red and Blue promised to visit him again before they departed as well. 

Gold was finally alone to sleep. Before he closed his eyes to rest, he noticed that the photo frame and picture were gone.


	16. Chapter 16

Something was off in his dark world. Although he knew that he was out of the hospital and home since the day before, Gold found himself in the secret base, resting achingly on the rocky ground. 

He tried to get up, but his wrists only went so far before his shackles impeded them. 

Gold laid back, attempting to catch his breath and failing to quell the sudden dread that pooled in the pit of his stomach. It was obvious that he wasn’t alone. 

It was obvious who was with him. 

When Silver’s form settled over him and brushed a thumb across his flushed cheek, Gold expected to feel a rush of comfort. It was the opposite; he nearly sobbed out as his mind and body were drenched in the freezing cold of apprehension, caused by none other than the one embracing him. 

“We have to talk,” Gold choked out against his owner’s shoulder. Silver chuckled deeply as he carded his fingers through thick black hair, obviously brushing aside his doll’s demand. “I’m serious... we have to-“

He shuddered when Silver’s lips were at his neck, kissing, caressing. He was holding him tightly, not allowing him one bit of motion, seemingly content on trapping him firmly against his body. Fingers were trailing down his naked body before teasingly stroking at Gold’s entrance, and them slightly pushing into him was enough to snap him out of his daze. He thrashed in Silver’s hold. His owner only snickered and fingered him harder. 

“Silver,” Gold tried. Silver ignored him. “Hnnng-“

He tried to grab his shoulders but the shackles stopped him; he opened his mouth and attempted to object to the fingers inside him before Silver’s tongue was rubbing against his own. Part of Gold was comforted. Most of him, though, was growing more frantic by the second, and his lover’s dark presence did nothing to remedy his fear. 

Pleasure sparked through his veins due to the fingers shifting rhythmically inside him, and Gold wrenched free of the kiss forced upon him. 

His voice was weak when he spoke up: “Silver, they said you hurt me. They’re telling me that you lied.”

Silver didn’t reply in words; his response was gripping Gold’s body and spreading his legs wide. 

“No-“ the fingers were gone “-I don’t want-“ large hands pinned him face down “-stop!” Something big and hard was pressing against him as he struggled fruitlessly. 

“Stop!”

Gold jolted awake, disturbing his injury by sitting up in a hurry. His surroundings were dark yet familiar; beneath him was not rocky ground, but a bed. His bed. He was home. Silver wasn’t with him. 

For once, that fact calmed him. 

It wasn’t unusual to have those dreams- or to have spend in his boxers after them- but there was something shifting within them. His subconscious seemed to be sending him messages too troubling to consider when awake, and those messages had everything to do with Silver. His lover. His owner. But when Gold relayed those words to himself in his head, there was a pang in his heart that left him feeling terribly disturbed. 

A faint brush by the window drew Gold’s attention, and after a few seconds, it began to open. 

The voice in the back of his mind hissed, ‘It’s him’.

Moving faster than he probably should’ve, Gold huddled against the wall and put his hands up to his face, trying to ignore the sound of the window opening. The first thing he saw was the intruder’s long hair; his heart lurched in his chest. 

“You can’t do this,” he whispered miserably, “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t want to go with you anymore!”

Footsteps approached him and he could do nothing but cover his eyes and heave. Just like in his dreams, he couldn’t see Silver’s face, just his long hair, but Gold could imagine his piercing gaze and predatory smile. He grabbed Gold’s wrist and he raised his fist for a punch-

“Gold, It’s me.”

-and froze. With his eyes adjusting to the dark, he took in the intruder’s face: softer features and blue eyes. 

“...Blue?” Gold dropped his fist and Blue released his arm. She backed up, obviously noticing how he panted hard still. “Sorry, I thought you were... someone else.”

“You can say his name, Gold, he’s dead now.”

He forced himself to nod. In what he hoped to be a steady voice, he asked: “What’re you doing here? You scared the shit outta me!”

“I know, I’m sorry. I just- I wanted to make sure you were okay. I never got to talk to you in the hospital.”

“I’m surprised you’re here. You should hate me for killing Silver.”

There was a sigh next to him and the bed dipped with Blue’s weight. Gold couldn’t bring himself to meet her gaze. 

“None of this is your fault, Gold.”

“People keep telling me that, but I don’t know what to believe. He said he did it all for my sake; he told me that while he...” the word was on the tip of his tongue- the word that his mother, and Crys, and the police, and the doctors used. They seemed to use it so easily, although they grimaced when they said it and their voices wavered with its weight. But Gold couldn’t use it; half of him couldn’t believe that it was accurate, that his situation warranted use of such an extreme word, that he as a person was worth such a word to describe what happened to him. That Silver could have... “...while I was with him.”

Blue was quiet for a moment, seemingly lost in thought. When she spoke up, she looked straight ahead and her voice was nearly silent. 

“When he brought me in, and I saw you... I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t believe that he was capable of doing such terrible things. I couldn’t believe after everything we went through as kids, that he could turn around...” she shook her head, still not facing him. Gold wanted to grab her hand but decided against it, knowing that physical touching was still something they both struggled with. “I’m sorry, Gold.”

He was bewildered. “Why?”

Blue stayed quiet once more, shifting to look out the window and into the night sky; just when he thought he was never going to get an answer, she continued: “I should have noticed something was wrong with him, and I should have done something. All of us, we only got to you when it was almost too late. But Silver-“ she laughed bitterly, “-Silver always was a good actor, and he played the role of a grieving friend well. I honestly thought he was torn apart and as committed to finding you as we were, only to find out that he was behind it all.”

A grieving friend. A man committed to finding his companion. A good actor. Gold felt sick to his stomach with the realization that he didn’t know Silver at all. 

But there was something else on his mind. 

“Blue,” he said, “will it always be this way? I mean, I’m back home now and everything’s over. It’s all normal again, but it doesn’t feel normal, you know? Everything seems... warped, somehow. Like some bad dream. Like, I dunno, I just feel afraid even though there’s nothing to be afraid of. I know I haven’t gone through anything close to what you-“

“You did. Full stop,” she cut him off. “The first step in recovery is accepting the bad things that happened to you. Comparing yourself to others won’t help.”

He knew that. Of course he knew that. Bad things had happened to him, yes, but some parts of him were slow to pick that up- some parts of him were still reeling with terror and embarrassment. Gold felt like there were boxes in his head containing memories and events: some he could open and some he couldn’t. 

“I guess it doesn’t help that I’m alone, other than my mom...”

“Then I’ll tell Red to stay with you.”

Gold’s sigh was cut off with shock. “What?”

“You heard me. If you’re scared of being alone then don’t be alone for a while.”

He fumbled with himself for a moment, looking for any excuse to reject the idea. But he couldn’t find a strong enough reason. Deep down he wanted Red with him; he was his friend, his senior, and, potentially, someone who could protect him. From who, Gold didn’t know because Silver was dead, but perhaps his presence would quell his fear. 

“What if he doesn’t want to bother with me?”

Blue raised an eyebrow, but her voice was nothing but sympathetic. She suddenly seemed more like the big sister Silver had described than the sly, attractive thief Gold used to see her as. 

“That’s Silver talking. Red talked about you every day while you were gone. He pretty much made it his mission to find you, even putting off his training and challenges to make more time for searching. If I don’t tell him to come and stay with you I guarantee that he’d be on your doorstep on his own accord.”

No excuses. No reasons for Gold to reject the offer. No shred of him that actually wanted Red to stay away. 

Gold nodded and Blue grinned. 

“Atta boy,” she said. He immediately noticed that she sounded relieved, but the pet name only served to make him feel on edge. Gold had to remind himself that it was Blue, not Silver, and that Blue wasn’t saying it to demean or humiliate him.

Her expression changed as he stiffened up. “Did he... call you-“

“Yeah,” he whispered.

“I’m sorry, I won’t do that again. Promise.”

There was nothing to say after that. Blue practically snatched his gear and put her number down under his contacts, frowning as she came to her old contact number. 

“Sexy lady, huh?” 

Gold laughed awkwardly. “I was eleven and horny.”

“You had five years to change it, but I’ll let it slide,” Blue’s sternness was ruined by the smile she attempted to hide. “I got a new gear when I went home, and that’s the one I use now.”

“Gotcha.”

Against his suggestions of going downstairs and exiting through the front door, Blue left through the window, releasing Jiggly and floating away with a parting wave and smile. 

He still found himself flinching when branches hit the side of his house or when the wind blew too hard, instinctively thinking it was another unwanted visitor there to harm him or steal him. Annoyingly, that feeling didn’t go away no matter how closely his team guarded him; maybe it took another person to make him feel secure. Maybe that person was Red. 

All Gold knew was that he was excited to see him again.


	17. Chapter 17

Even when they first met, Red’s presence was a comfort to him. He was approachable and cheery, always up for a friendly battle, and had a sense of humor similar to his own. Red made him feel nice. 

Perhaps that was why the tight hug he immediately enveloped Gold in wasn’t scary; it was quite the opposite. 

Gold waited, with his face buried in Red’s shoulder, for his senior to say anything. There had been no hello when he opened the door to greet him, just Red standing with a blank expression before he grabbed him, and even when he strained to hear his voice, he was met with only uneven breaths. 

“....are you crying?” 

“No,” Red replied, his voice obviously thick with tears. 

“You can admit it, senior, everybody cries when they see me now.”

He let out a little hiccuped laugh. Gold shivered when the arms around him tightened, and then they were gone, with Red holding his shoulders instead. The smile on his face was teary, twitching slightly every once in a while. 

“I’m sorry,” he stammered, the little grin still gracing his handsome features, “I never got to talk to you in the hospital, and I didn’t know when it would be a good time to see you again at home. But Blue told me you wanted me to stay over, so I came as fast-“

Gold tuned him out. There was still a part of him that believed what Silver had told him: that everybody hated him, that everybody was better off without him, that he was better off being kept away in that little base as-

-he had to stop thinking about it. He was safe, he was home, and Red was with him. 

“Gold?”

“Sorry,” he tried to keep his voice light, but it was only a matter of time before his senior saw through his facade, like he had when they were younger and training on Mt. Silver. Somehow their conversation about fast food joints had turned to their personal lives, and then to Gold’s insecurities and fears. And that was all in one day; what Red could bring out of him over days and weeks he almost didn’t want to know. 

But maybe that would be good for him. Maybe he needed somebody to vent to and make all the private things said. 

“So, what do you wanna do?”

“What’re you up for? I mean,” he looked slightly uncomfortable, and Gold immediately noticed how his crimson eyes darted to his stomach. 

He laughed a little, settling his hands over his gut, trying not to feel the stiff bandages beneath his shirt- trying not to remember how they got there. 

“I’m fine, dude. It’s like it’s not even there. At least, it doesn’t hurt nearly as much as it did.”

“That’s good!” Red didn’t look nearly as enthusiastic as he sounded. “How about lunch? New place opened up, figured we could try ‘em out?”

“Sure.”

The diner was only a few blocks away, and to Gold’s relief, their conversation became less stiff as they walked on. Red hadn’t changed. He was able to hold a conversation about anything and everything, and even then, while Gold felt the stares of everyone passing by boring into his back, Red’s voice and hand on his shoulder gave him the courage to keep walking and answer back. The cool air of the building on his skin made him realize that he was sweating. 

They sank into a booth, only for Gold to realize that he still attracted the eyes of nosy strangers. 

Red immediately turned to see what he was looking at, and the people turned away to avoid his glare. His face was still aggravated when he turned back. 

“Let’s move. These assholes wouldn’t know privacy if it slapped them across the face!”

“No, Red, it’s fine.” He could ignore them. He’d been through worse. The stares were sharp as nails digging into his skin, but Gold had a sinking feeling that they’d follow him wherever he went. Might as well get used to them. 

But there was a man a few tables away that was brazen enough to maintain eye contact when Gold glanced at him. The third time their eyes met, the man smiled. 

He should’ve seen it coming. 

“Gold?” The man said loudly, “Gold of New Bark Town?”

Gold wanted to pull his hood over his head and duck, but it was far too late for that. The man, who was dressed sharply in a suit and tie, practically sprinted over to their table; he seated himself by shoving Red roughly to the side, ignoring his noise of objection. 

“It’s you, isn’t it?”

Nowhere to hide. 

“Yeah.” He tried to make it sound as dismissive as possible, silently willing the man to get the hint and go away. 

“Ty Sterling of the Goldenrod Times! It’s so nice to see you!”

Gold muttered, “Same to you.” However, Ty pulled out a piece of notepaper and a pen. 

“Care to answer some questions?”

“No,” Red stated, attempting to elbow the man out of their way. “Gold, let’s go.”

Undeterred, “We’re writing an article on what you’ve endured, Gold, and an interview from the victim himself would really add another layer to the story!”

“I... I’m not-“

“It’s obvious he’s not interested, so you can go.”

“What’s wrong, Red?” Ty teased, an unnervingly wide smile on his face, “Are you angry because you’re not the one being interviewed for once?”

“No, I’m angry because you’re being a bitch to my friend. Gold, c’mon.”

The man’s voice was too loud- everything was becoming too loud, and it made Gold’s stomach twist. Ty and Red were arguing with each other when he stood up. Struggling to keep his balance and waiting for his eyes to adjust to the burningly-bright lights, the casual chatter of the diner suddenly morphed into malicious whispers. They were all talking about him. He knew they were. They all probably sent that guy to talk to him, ask him a few questions in order to satiate their sick desire for gossip. All at his expense. Gold of New Bark Town, back from his disappearance for the flashing lights of cameras and dramatic insights of interviews. Gold of New Bark Town, center of urban legends and insidious rumors. Gold of New Bark Town, pitiful victim. Gold of New Bark-

Someone grabbed a strangle hold of his arm and he turned to face them. His eyes were metallic gray in color and Gold’s knees began to shake. 

“So,” the man grinned. His breath stunk as it hit Gold’s face in huffs. “Did you have a sexual relationship with the man who kidnapped you?”

“Don’t you fucking touch me!” Gold wrenched his arm away and staggered into the bathroom, ignoring a thump and Ty’s shout of pain behind him. 

He made it to the toilet just in time. Mere seconds of dry heaving gave way to vomit, splattering into the toilet bowl with each contraction of his throat. Someone came in behind him; their footsteps were buried beneath his retching, but during a pause, Red quietly uttered his name. He kneeled next to him, one of his hands softly brushing his sweaty bangs from his face while the other patted his back. 

The sick feeling slowly went away, but Gold felt just as disgusting as before. He opted to breathe quietly and focus on the hand on his back as he flushed the toilet; Gold noticed that Red’s knuckles were bleeding, and that almost made him smile. 

Red stood up with him. He kept his hand on his shoulder and guided him to the sink, letting him wash his face in silence. Then they left. Gold kept his eyes on the ground the entire way home, not able to even humor meeting another person’s gaze. He didn’t have to look to know that Red’s face was still flushed; he could tell his senior was still furious by his tight grip on his shoulder, with his arm around him. At intervals he pulled Gold closer to him, as if to ward off unwanted attention. 

His mother was still at work when they arrived home. Gold took one step into the darkened house before he was pulled into a crushing embrace. He let out an awkward laugh. 

“Pretty sure I smell like puke, man,” he tried. 

“Don’t care.”

“You good?”

“I should be asking you that.” Red leaned away from the hug just enough to look at him. There were tears in his eyes and Gold felt his incredulous face soften. He continued in a broken voice, “I’m so sorry Gold. That was all my fault. I just wanted to take you out and have a good time, but I didn’t realize that people would be terrible like that.”

“Don’t feel bad. People were assholes before, now they just have more ammunition. That douche just asked the wrong thing at the wrong time. Really, Red, I appreciate you helping.”

Red didn’t look satisfied. He opened his mouth, closed it, and opened it again. 

“I just wanna keep you safe,” he said quietly, his eyes intent, “you mean too much to me. I can’t lose you again.”

The sneering lessons that Silver had hammered into him melted away with Red’s words. They were too genuine, the pain on his face too real, and for the first time Gold felt something other than brotherly adoration for him. He leaned into the hug again. He didn’t want Red to see the tears in his eyes. 

Finally, when they broke apart, Gold was eager to change the subject. “All that shit and we didn’t even eat!”

“We can order,” Red offered. 

They did. They ordered from the very joint that Gold told him about when he was eleven and they were training on Mt. Silver. They watched TV and made fun of the smarmy reality show contestants and laughed at all the drama. And when they went upstairs, and Red bid him goodnight as he headed into the guest room, Gold almost offered him to stay in his room. 

That night, as he laid in bed, Gold felt normal for once. He couldn’t remember the last time he felt that way.


	18. Chapter 18

In the split second before he opened his eyes, he heard the roaring sound of crashing waves and felt the blistering sunlight on his body. 

It took his eyes a minute to adjust. Among the waves, there was the gleeful screaming of children and the cries of wingull. Among the sun’s hot rays, there was the refreshing spray of the ocean. 

Among his friends and among the perfect scenery around him, Gold was the odd one out. 

He had no reason to be afraid, but the feeling overpowered him, its bands restricting his chest and making his blood run cold despite the heat. Something about his surroundings was so achingly familiar. He sighed, attempting to catch his fleeting breath, and studied the sand at his feet. A charizard’s cry caught his attention; yards and yards away, the beach was used as a battlefield for Red and Green. The familiar feeling grew stronger. Tittering laughter pulled his gaze from the guys and towards Blue and Yellow, as the two tanned on oversized towels. Somehow, their giggling put Gold more on edge, and his immediate thought was that it was aimed at him. 

‘What’re they laughing at?’ He wanted to ask them, to call out to them, but before he got the chance a soccer ball hit into his calf. 

Although in the midst of crashing waves and screaming children and squawking wingull, Gold heard nothing but his own heavy breaths. His eyes trailed from his feet, to the sand, to the waves, and finally to Crys. She was smiling and gesturing for him to kick the ball back towards her, but as he raised his foot-

-he remembered. 

Crys. 

The beach. 

The picture. 

The flowers and the cards and the bed and the hospital. The stab wound and the ambulance and the police and the yelling. The shattering ice and the blade and the assurances and the plan. The base and the pain and the sex and the shackles. 

He remembered it all. He remembered why he was afraid. He had good reason to be afraid. 

“Smile, Gold.”

Gold knew who he would see when he looked up, but for once, his fear was overcome with anger. His yellow eyes scanned the beach before they came to rest on Silver. He was holding a camera, but Gold could only focus on how his torso was bare (just like when he-) and how widely he smiled. 

But Gold didn’t smile back. 

He didn’t get it. Standing before him was his best friend Silver, the one he’d always followed, the one he’d always admired, even when they were little children. He remembered how he eventually broke down his icy exterior and how they began to really talk to each other; he remembered how those talks between rivals made them realize that they actually got along, and soon they were less rivals and more friends. Gold trusted him. Gold loved him. Gold loved Silver, but-

The stab wound was still on his stomach; long and discolored, it made Gold’s heart lurch when he looked at it. Evidence of what his best friend had done. 

“Why?” His voice bellowed out before he even intended to speak. He needed answers. He needed answers, and only Silver could give him those answers. 

Silver’s smile didn’t dim, and it just made Gold angrier. 

“How could you do this to me?!”

No answer. 

He didn’t bother wiping away the furious tears that cascaded down his flushed face. “Is that how you treat your best friend? By holding them hostage? By taking them away from everything they had? Answer me!”

Nothing. Gold wanted to tear his hair out. He sobbed in utter anger; the intense pain that he’d harbored since he’d been free finally burst out of him, and proved much more powerful than he’d even imagined. It felt like his body was falling to ruin under the shame and humiliation of what happened to him. He couldn’t hide anymore. He couldn’t pretend. 

“You were my best friend,” Gold whispered brokenly, half-wishing that Silver would say something, anything, just to let him know he was listening. “I never thought that you’d hurt me. Ever.”

Same smile. No change whatsoever. Gold was about to give up when Silver snickered, raising his camera with a grin that pierced into his soul. 

“Smile, doll.”

Doll. He called him doll. Again. 

It was like Gold was back in the secret base, naked and shackled, with his mind and body at the mercy of a predator who wore his friend’s face- who was his friend. He wanted to curl up and cry. 

He sprinted towards him instead.

“Don’t you fucking call me that!” 

It felt like he was trudging through water, trying furiously to get to Silver and beat his face in. But he couldn’t. He was too far away and his movements were too weak to even make an impact, so Gold did the only thing he could do- he screamed. 

“Don’t ever call me that again!” Silver smiled wider and Gold only got louder and more enraged. “You fucking bastard! I’m a person! I am a person-“

Hands grabbed hold of him. His sight went murky; the bright beach with its waves and wingull faded to near pitch black darkness, and it took a few seconds for Gold to realize that he was at home, in his bed. He flinched and tried to pry the hands off of him, but immediately the light flicked on, and Red was there, as well as his mother hovering nervously by the light switch. Gold took in the sight of his friend and instantly began to sob again, letting Red draw him into a hug. 

“I heard you screaming from down the hallway-“

“I hate him,” Gold choked out, holding Red’s shirt in a death grip. “I hate him so much.”

“Gold?”

“I finally realized what he did to me, Red. He hurt me. Silver hurt me, and all this time I was too fucking stupid to grasp that.”

His senior’s hold on him tightened. “You’re not stupid, Gold,” he tried. 

Gold scoffed, hiding his face, unable to face Red, or his mother, or anybody. Most of all, he couldn’t face himself. “How didn’t I realize it? All this time I thought that he was telling the truth, that he loved me and that you all hated me, and that I was better off as-“ he sucked in a painful breath before shuddering out, “-a fucking sex doll. How did I not see it?”

“He manipulated you. Silver manipulated you and abused you into thinking that you were an object and nothing else.” Red’s voice was much colder than normal, but he knew that it wasn’t targeted at him, but Silver. 

Silver...

“He hurt me, Red.”

The hug grew even tighter. “He did hurt you. He hurt you terribly.”

A sob ripped itself out of Gold’s mouth, but he had to continue. There was still more to say. “He hurt me, and he hit me, and he starved me, and he....” he squeezed his eyes shut and focused on not throwing up, “...he raped me. Silver raped me, Red. Every single day. He raped me and manipulated me into thinking I wanted it.”

Red stayed silent. They sat quietly for a few moments, and Gold could only imagine the look on his senior’s face. Anger, fear, disgust. Gold’s stomach dropped, suddenly realizing what emotion was currently occupying his overactive mind. 

“I feel disgusting, Red,” he whispered, not knowing if his friend could even hear him. “I think he’s ruined me.”

“No. He hasn’t.” Firm and clipped. He didn’t know whether or not to believe him. 

A deep, shuddering breath, and then: “Sometimes I think it would be better if he’d just killed me.”

After the slight pause his statement brought about, Red squeezed him seemingly with all his strength, practically cutting off his breath with his hug and silencing him with his warm body. Then he started shaking. When he let him go and looked him in the eyes, Gold could see misery written all over his face. 

“You can’t,” he whimpered, “you can’t leave me again. And you’re not ruined, or broken, or anything like that. But you’re alive, and there’s still so much you can accomplish. You can be happy, Gold. I wanna help you be happy because you’ve always made me happy.”

“....you serious?”

“Dead serious, about everything.”

“...” he’d said all he needed to say, and all the shame and humiliation he felt slowly drifted from his mind, even though what he was about to ask perhaps warranted the most shame of all. “Will you... stay with me?”

Red’s hand closed over his. He squeezed, and Gold squeezed back just as tightly. 

“Of course I will.”

He didn’t know how it was different. It shouldn’t have been different. Gold was laying in a vulnerable position with another man right beside him, clutching him firmly, but he didn’t feel panic. He didn’t feel pain. He felt calm. Loved. 

He didn’t remember Silver’s body being so warm; it only took him a few moments to fall into a deep sleep.


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In case you haven’t had enough of this fic and are additionally into polishipping (Red/Gold), please stay tuned! I am planning on writing a sequel fic further exploring Gold’s recovery and his relationship with Red.

His sleep that night was dreamless. 

Years ago, Gold wouldn’t have cared about what images his brain decided to conjure up while he was unconscious. Dreams were dreams, and nothing else. That is, until the nightmare that was his reality tore his brain and sanity to shreds, defiling him and leaving him chewed up on the ground, left to pick up his own shattered pieces. Then the dreams weren’t dreams anymore- they were reminders. They were events that appeared much too real for him, even though they had happened weeks and months prior. They were horrific scenes that adapted to being pushed away during the daytime by migrating to his sleeping mind, into his unassuming brain waves. 

But that night, he didn’t dream. His sleep was quiet and blissful. 

Maybe it was due to Red’s body sprawled out next to him. His heat was comforting, and even though his small bed was much too tight for the both of them, Gold liked having him close. He felt safe. Protected. 

Safe, protected, and blessedly grounded. 

One of the things that hurt him the most was making the connection between his best friend and the monster who held him hostage. Gold thought about all the things that the mons- that Silver did to him; he felt his wrists and saw how they remained discolored from the shackles that had impeded him for what seemed like an eternity. He felt how his hipbones jutted out still, a reminder that he had much weight to gain back. He felt how certain memories seemed to be blocked, hinting at things he still wasn’t able to face. But Gold knew the main summary; he didn’t need to memorize all the details. 

His shifting around had Red moving, reaching towards him and clamping his hand on Gold’s shoulder, seemingly asking him to stay in place, with him. Gold was happy to oblige. 

For one moment he fought the urge to touch Red’s hand; the next, though, he realized that he’d been without consensual affection for far too long of a time, and that it would be better for him to initiate contact. He wanted to believe that contact was okay again, that contact was safe. 

Gold moved his arm and traced the soft skin of his senior’s hand. 

Just as quickly as he’d reached out, he pulled his hand back. He couldn’t help the giddy smile growing on his face or the warmth blooming in his chest. 

It was a decision he made, Gold realized, and he made it himself, with nobody to force him into it. It was nice to have control again. 

He let his eyes close. For the first time in a long while, Gold felt less like a doll and more like a person.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn lmao this is the first long-ish fic I’ve ever written, let alone finished! It’s been a wild ride. If you’ve been reading to this point, thank you very much for sticking with me! To those who left comments, kudos, and hits, thank you!! Every solitary hit, kudos, and comment on this fic has been noticed and greatly appreciated! Finally I’d like to thank my amazing friend pichipichu for helping me through this rollercoaster of a fic with her feedback and ideas! I couldn’t have done it without her 💕💕


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